THE Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has vowed to stop at nothing to ensure the prosecution of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, Mr. Istifanus Shettima, over an alleged assault and arrest of its officials in Abakaliki.
The Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the commission, Mr. Osita Chidoka, stated this yesterday during the sensitisation programme on speed-limiting devices in Abakalili, capital of Ebonyi State.
He bemoaned the constant assault of FRSC officials by police officers on the directives of Shettima, promising the incident will be the last in the state.
Chidoka, who was represented by the Zonal Commander FRSC RS9HQ Enugu, Mr. Chika Nwaka, stated that on different occasions the Deputy Commissioner had alleged the commission does not have the constitutional right to operate within the town.
This, he stated, has led to harassment and embarrassment of FRSC officials whenever they are on duty within the capital city.
A visibly infuriated Chidoka said: “What makes them (Police) superior to other uniform personnel? Is it because they carry guns?
“Most of them are not more educated than our men. Most of them don’t have integrity than our men. Why would they always harass our men each time they are on duty?
“If we have been mandated to carry firearms like others, would such a thing happen? But we want to assure all that we must stop this humiliating act.”
But the Ebonyi Police Command spokesman, ASP Sylvester Igbo, in a statement debunked the alleged harassment of FRSC men.
According to him: “That morning (Wednesday), the Deputy Commissioner was visiting his men at various duty posts.
“At Presco junction along Abakaliki/Enugu Express Road, an official of the FRSC, who was directing traffic, passed two vehicles from opposing sides of the Enugu/Abakaliki lane at the same time and caused one tricycle and motorcycle to collide with each other.
“As a result of the incident, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, who was in the traffic with his official car and personnel, directed the Road Safety official to accompany the victims of the accident to the MTD Abakaliki to give his statement as a witness and for treatment.
“But he refused and hauled abuses as well as assaulted him.”
The FRSC operative, Mr. Otu Onyinyechukwu, denied causing any accident on the road.
He accused the DCP of physically attacking him with his orderly and driver.
“I was controlling traffic along the ever busy Preso junction in Abakaliki around 8:30 am when I heard someone beckoning on me to come from an unmarked car.
“I became afraid immediately because of the hostile voice calling me. When I got close to the car, the caller, the state Police DCP, came down from the car and asked what I was doing there.
“I told him I was posted to control traffic to avoid congestion as that junction is always busy in the rush- hour period. He said I have no right to be there as it is not my duty to be controlling traffic.
“I insisted that it is my duty to be there. The next thing I felt was a slap from the DCP himself and then his driver and orderly joined him and started beating me, tearing my uniform given to me by the Federal Government of Nigeria in the process.”
He went on: “They then tried to drag me into the boot of their car. I refused and told him that I was posted there by my office so he should inform them before taking me away.
“But they continued forcing me into the car until they finally succeeded after which they drove me to their station.”
When contacted, DCP Shettima denied the allegations.
He said: “There was no time I asked my men to beat up any of them despite all their attempts to provoke me and my men. I, in fact, asked them to remain calm.
”Nobody was molested even when they blocked my movement. I continued pleading with my men to be calm and they should maintain law and order.
“I know most of them (FRSC officials) lack training. That is why they will come into a police station and block the road.
“If we had used our powers, some of them would have been in the hospital but we remained calm. Even when they saw my uniform as a police officer they continued blocking my way.”
