February 15, (THEWILL) –Â The Cross River State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), has raised alarm over the Police officers allegedly deployed to the State for the forthcoming general elections.
IPAC said this follows security intelligence that some Police officers of questionable character will be sent to the State.
The State IPAC Chairman, Comrade Anthony Bissong Attah, who disclosed this in Calabar, listed the names of the affected officers and stressed that this questionable deployment is well planned to rig the next general elections.
He said, “through our security intelligence, we recently peeped into the list of police officers deployed to Cross River State and we are very curious because some of the officers and men are of questionable pedigree.
“We have it on good authority that the following officers, CP Garba Aliyu (Overall election CP), CP Stanley Use (South), CP Akinwale Adenirun (Central) and DCP Elias Eliegwu (North).
“We are deeply concerned and obviously worried to note that the leader of the team is an officer, who as Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, was allegedly responsible for all the crisis and atrocities in the neighbouring State.
“CP. Garba Aliyu has a penchant for supporting non-state actors in their bid to unleash mayhem on the citizens of the State.
“His open support for Ebubeagu has been responsible for the killings, destruction of properties and general state of insecurity in Ebonyi State.
“He is a highly compromised officer known for being a ready and easy tool in the hands of the Government of the day.
“He is the one behind the strangulation, not opposition parties in Ebonyi state.
“We are also curious about the formation of new Tactical Units opposite Cross River State Governor’s office to be trained and used for election to be headed by CSP Bayero (from Abuja Command).
“These new units formed are drafted from Puff Adder, Sabotage, Anti-kidnapping, SPU and Mopol.
“We hereby unanimously reject the above list of officers, especially the head of the team as it is our considered opinion that this deployment is a well-planned agenda to use security to rig the 2023 general election.”
The IPAC Chairman added that with the dented records of compromise and notoriety for human rights abuses, any elections conducted under the supervision of CP Garba Aliyu, will no doubt have the imprint of blood.
He called on the Inspector General of police to immediately review the list of officers due to be posted to Cross River State, for election duties.
However, Irene Ugbo, Police Public Relations Officer in Cross River, said the Command has remained resolute and most professional in the discharge of its constitutional duty of protection of lives and property.
She added that the tactical Unit opposite the Governor’s office in Calabar, will not work for anybody except for the success of the polls.
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
