Police to prosecute officers over escape of suspected criminals

EDO State Police Command yesterday said its men who were on duty some weeks ago when some suspected criminals escaped from custody would be prosecuted according to the security organisation’s regulations.

The Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Manku, stated this yesterday at a press briefing where 13 suspects arrested for armed robbery, unlawful possession of firearms and kidnapping were paraded.

“We have a procedure and for anybody who is negligent on duty, we are going to follow the process and give appropriate punishment. If detention is part of it, so be it”, he said.

Among those paraded was a 20-year old suspected kidnapper. He said the gang members had on January 10 attacked a house at Ugbor where they robbed the occupants and kidnapped a two-year-old girl, whom he said, was later abandoned in a building on Sapele Road.

Also paraded was a 42-year-old father of seven children who confessed to have participated actively in the Ijaw/Itsekiri ethnic war in Delta State some years ago.

In addition, the command said it arrested 59-year-old Ekuase Shampe on January 22 for being in possession of one Raven pistol with six rounds of live ammunition.