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Gunmen have kidnapped the Divisional Crime Officer,DCO, Isuochi Police station in Umunneochi council area of Abia State, simply identified as DSP Dickson.
The policeman was said to have been abducted in broad day light three days go, Thursday, August 10, in the area while other policemen escaped by whiskers in the attack.
Some policemen who pleaded anonymity told Sunday Vanguard that the morale of officers in the area has gone down since the kidnap of the DCO who is described as a ‘tough cop.’
Sunday Vanguard gathered that the Police authorities in the state had deployed all the tactical Squads of the State Police Command to rescue the victim and his abductors, all to no avail.
The unsuccessful search by the tactical team is said to have fueled speculation about the safety of the top policeman.
The policemen urged Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu to put more efforts to check the rising kidnapping incidents in the Umunneochi/ Isuikwuato area and liaise with the police hierarchy to reorganize the police in the state.
Sunday Vanguard further gathered that the family of the kidnapped DCO has paid an undisclosed amount of ransom demanded by his abductors, yet the DCO is still held captive.
The policemen said; “DSP Dickson hails from Enugu State. He has a health challenge and barely has just a few months to retire from the Nigeria Police. The police authorities have deployed the tactical team who went and combed the area,to no avail. They have also sent some of us,but we are aware that they have not done enough to rescue him.
“The People of the state have complained about the rising rate of insecurity in the state and demanding for redeployment of the Commissioner of Police in the state. Everyday they say Abia is peaceful and secure,but kidnappers are having a field day abducting and killing people.
“They’re saying all those things because we the affected police officers are not speaking up. There are serious security challenges all over the state, especially the Umunneochi/Isuikwuato axis. I don’t understand why the authorities are playing politics with reality. Why can’t they accept that there’s a problem and call for help? What’s happening all over the country is also here, but our own is suppressed and underreported.”
Police Public Relations Officer,Abia state Command,SP Geoffrey Ogbonna ,was yet to respond to text and call placed on his mobile number ,as at the time of filing this report.
