The Action Congress of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter has called on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Police Service Commission, the Inspector General of Police and the National Assembly to immediately sack the Rivers State Commissioner of Police for negligence over the killing of the four undergraduates of the University of Port Harcourt.
The party’s position was contained in a press statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Jerry Needam.
The party described the police officer’s attitude to distress calls put across to them as poor and also frowned at the contradictory statements emanating from the Police Commissioner, Police Public Relations Officer and the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Rumorji Division, saying it smacks of irresponsibility and unbecoming of men and officers trained to protect lives and properties.
The party further described as dereliction of duty the failure to mobilize men and officers of the force to the scene of the murder upon receiving the distress calls.
According to the party, indicated that the four Uniport students were beaten and tortured for hours before they were finally roasted to death by their assailants.
The party regretted the inability of the police to mobilize and swiftly respond to several distress calls.
While killers of these undergraduates of the University of Port Harcourt are being fished out for prosecution, the Police Commissioner, his PPRO and the DPO in Charge of Rumorji whose primary responsibility is to protect lives and property but failed to do so in this circumstance should also be queried and possibly prosecuted, the ACN remarked.
The double speak of the PPRO is also regrettable, for misinforming the public. On one account he claimed the victims were dead before the police arrived. On another, he said his men were overpowered by the uncountable number of people at the scene that made it impossible for the police act.
Police officers must be held accountable for all their actions and inactions in this circumstance to guarantee adequate security in Rivers State, the party stated.