Imo CP orders detention of four policemen over misconduct

The Imo State Police Command has ordered the detention of four police personnel over unprofessional misconduct during their last operation, as circulated in a viral video on social media.

The incident, which occurred last Sunday, according to the video, showed four security personnel forcing a young man into the boot of a vehicle at Human Race Road, Nekede.

In a statement issued by the Imo State Command Public Relations Officer, Okoye Henry, he said that the officers were conducting an operation at a suspected drug trafficking location along Human Race Road, Nekede, during which two suspects were arrested.

He said that the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Audu Garba Bosso, has ordered an immediate investigation to identify the personnel involved and establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

According to the PPRO, preliminary findings revealed that the four personnel captured in the viral video comprised two police officers attached to the Nekede Divisional Headquarters and two Supernumerary Police Officers.

He said that substances suspected to be cannabis sativa were recovered from one suspect, who admitted to selling illicit drugs in the area.

Notwithstanding the outcome of the operation, the Police Command also unequivocally condemned the unprofessional conduct of the personnel as captured in the viral video.

Okoye regretted the manner in which one of the suspects was arrested and forced into the boot of a vehicle, describing it as unacceptable, inhumane, and completely not in conformity with the Standard Operating Procedures, Code of Conduct, and professional ethics of the Nigeria Police Force.

He said that the case has been referred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a detailed and impartial investigation, while appropriate disciplinary procedures have commenced against the erring officers.

Okoye assured that the outcome of the investigation will be made public upon completion.

He reassured residents of the Command’s commitment to combating crime while ensuring that all policing operations are conducted professionally, lawfully, and with due respect for the rights and dignity of every individual.