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Imo State Police Commissioner, Mohammed Barde, has expressed disappointment over a viral message on social media of hoodlums, who waylaid and forced individuals to make transfers through Point Of Service (POS) machine.
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In a statement issued, yesterday, on his behalf by the Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Michael Abattam, the Commissioner said the report of unscrupulous persons, who disguised as security operatives in Toyota Sienna vehicle, arresting young men, and extorting them, is disturbing.
Barde, therefore, instructed the Inspector General of Police X-Squad Unit and the Commissioner of Police Monitoring Unit to swing into action.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Imo State Police Command has been drawn to some audio messages making the rounds on social media about some yet to be identified armed men in black dress in a Sienna vehicle, arresting young persons driving flashy cars, and taking them to POS points to extort huge amount of money from them, abandon them and zoom-off to unknown destination.
“The Command takes the audio message seriously, as it could be the handiwork of miscreants, who want to create panic in the minds of people of the state.”
The statement, therefore, advised members of the public to stop circulating such information. The statement added: “The CP has formed a high powered investigation team to commence investigation to unravel the origin of the voice message.”
He has also directed the Inspector General of Police X-Squad Unit and the Commissioner of Police Monitoring Unit to commence aggressive patrols as a way checking such incidents in the state.
“The Command is asking members of the public to cooperate with the police and other security agencies by providing prompt and credible information that will assist in enhancing security of the state.
“More so, residents are implored to report any secret activity observed in their communities to the nearest police station/formation or call the Command’s control room emergency numbers.”
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