Police give slap on the wrist treatment to DPO accused of conniving with bandits

By Abubakar Ahmed

The Divisional Police Officer of Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State is under investigation following allegations that he has been conniving with bandits to terrorize some communities in the area.

Inhabitants of some communities of Kungurki village in the local government had in a video which has gone viral accused the DPO of conniving with the armed bandits to terrorise them.

However, in what can at best be considered a slap in the wrist treatment, the DPO whose name was not given in the statement, was redeployed rather than placed on suspension pending conclusion of investigations of his alleged involvement in criminal activities.

SP Mohammed Shehu, the spokesperson for the state police command in a statement made available to journalists, in Gusau, on Monday however said available records at the command revealed no formal complaint against the DPO in respect of the allegation.

He stated that the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abutu Yaro has immediately redeployed the DPO to the Police Command Headquarters as OC Provost, while ASP Umar Abdullahi has been appointed as acting DPO of the Division.

Shehu said, “the attention of the Zamfara State Police Command has been drawn to a viral video trending on social media platforms wherein the communities of Kungurki village, in Kaura Namoda LGA, accused the DPO of Kaura Namoda Division of conniving with recalcitrant armed bandits who were making  life unbearable for the people.

“However, the command enjoins members of the public, especially the aggrieved community, that any person or group with credible evidence against the DPO, should come to the Police Command Headquarters and assist in the ongoing investigation.

“The DPO, as a custodian of peace and tranquility, has the mandate to interact and engage with the two warring Hausa and Fulani bandit communities to a dialogue so as to strengthen the ongoing peace process of the state government,” he said.

He, however, stated that the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abutu Yaro has immediately redeployed the DPO to the Police Command Headquarters as OC Provost, while ASP Umar Abdullahi has been appointed as acting DPO of the Division.

Shehu called on members of the public with credible evidence against the former DPO to contact the acting DPO through his phone number, 08162793939.