The Commissioner of Police in Abia State, Wilfred Afolabi, has announced plans to activate the Command’s X-Squad to monitor police officers at various duty posts following complaints of alleged misconduct and extortion by residents of Aba.
Afolabi disclosed this during a police-community engagement with community leaders and youths in Aba, where he reiterated the Inspector-General of Police’s commitment to professionalism, accountability and responsible policing.
The police commissioner warned officers and members of the public against bribery, stressing that both the giver and receiver of bribes were culpable under the law.
He also encouraged residents to report cases of police misconduct through his contact line and that of the Command’s Complaint Response Unit (CRU), which were made available to the youths during the engagement.
Addressing concerns about the alleged profiling of young people, Afolabi advised Aba youths to dress responsibly and remain law-abiding. However, he emphasised that no individual should be treated as a criminal based solely on their appearance.
The commissioner also offered security advice to residents over the reported increase in vehicle theft in Aba, urging motorists to use wheel locks, pedal locks and vehicle tracking devices.
He further advised residents to keep relevant security contacts readily available and provide the police with credible information that could assist in preventing crime.
Earlier, residents raised concerns over the alleged conduct of some police officers, accusing them of extorting money from motorists and other residents before granting them bail.
They also alleged that some officers dressed in plain clothes routinely profiled and arrested young people based on their casual appearance.
The residents further complained about what they described as frequent harassment of motorists whose vehicles have factory-fitted tinted windows.
The engagement provided an opportunity for residents to present their grievances and seek measures to improve police accountability, strengthen public trust and address security concerns in Aba.
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