By Ayorinde Taiwo (SIWES student, Gate Way Polytechnic Saapade)
In anticipation of the off-season elections scheduled for Saturday, November 11, the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, has pledged to reassign the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde, due to alleged partisanship.
This decision comes following calls from various organizations, including the Nigerian Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress, the Labour Party, and Civil Society Organisations, urging the redeployment of Commissioner Barde.
Egbetokun disclosed this development during a recent episode of the Channels Television program titled Peoples Town Hall On Election Security, which was closely monitored by our correspondent on a Sunday night.
Egbetokun emphasized, We acknowledge the allegations against the Commissioner of Police in Imo. Prior to the elections, we will be replacing the CP.
This move is not an admission of guilt on the part of the CP but is intended to ensure neutrality in Imo State.
The PRESS has reported that the organized labor issued a five-day ultimatum for the redeployment of the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde, following an attack on the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, last Thursday.
Simultaneously, the Labour Party has expressed its support for the immediate redeployment of the CP and other officials allegedly involved in the recent attack on Ajaero in the state.
Ajaero was assaulted and severely injured in Owerri while mobilizing workers for a protest over unpaid salaries.
Subsequent to this incident, widespread public outrage prompted the NLC and TUC to accuse the Imo CP of complicity in the attack and set a five-day ultimatum for the Federal Government to replace him.
