Police Extortion: Lawmaker Calls Out CP Danladi Isa

The Nigerian Police Force, Abia State Command has been charged to desist from extorting money from unsuspecting Abians in the guise of contravening the Abia State Basic Environmental Law.

The member representing Ohafia South State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, who is also the House Committee Chairman on Environment, Hon. Kalu Mba Nwoke gave the charge in Umuahia on Saturday, June 28, 2025, after monitoring the monthly sanitation exercise for the month of June.

Speaking with Journalists at the venue of the Mobile Court for defaulters which is inside the premises of Abia State High Court, Kalu decried the activities of some police officers who arrest alleged offenders and take them to the police station where they extort money from them for their own pockets.

Hon. Kalu expressed disgust at this attitude from some police officers attached to the Central Police Station, Bende Road, Umuahia who have devoted themselves to this act.

He therefore called on the Commissioner of Police, Abia State Command, CP Danladi Isa to caution his men henceforth to desist from such, while advising that they take any suspected defaulters to the Mobile Court for trial and if found guilty, should pay into government account and get receipts of payment.

Reacting to the level of compliance, the lawmaker admitted that it was not total but quickly blamed the apparent human movement noticed during the period of the exercise to the ongoing polio immunization in the state. He said the health officers got permission from the government to go about with the immunization.

He also pointed out that another factor was the Unified Tertiary Matriculation mop up examination, organized by the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board, JAMB that took place the same day.

He said, “Today there is some level of compliance except those going for Polio Immunization and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Mop-up Exam organized by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). Another problem witnessed during the exercise, is the attitude of Police Officers attached to the CPS at Bende road who arrest defaulters and instead of transferring them to the Mobile Court, they detain them. This action is very wrong and against the Abia Environment Sanitation Law”.

On his part, the Commissioner for the Environment, Philimon Ogbonna who was represented by the permanent Secretary in the ministry, Ikechukwu Oriuwa, frowned at the behaviour of traders, especially those in Orie Ụgba Market in Umuahia who have bluntly failed to comply.

He warned that the government has exhausted their “carrots”, and is ready to use the “stick”.

Visibly perturbed, he urged the traders to make sure they clean their market stalls on the Friday before the sanitation day and then stay at home to clean their homes before going to the markets.

Furthermore, he said the newly reintroduced sanitary inspectors would commence operations immediately adding that the government has put modalities in place for a smooth take off.

In their separate speeches, the Special Adviser to the governor on Environment, Prof Ijeoma Iheukwumere regretted that most people, especially young men do not participate in the sanitation exercise. She pointed out that while she moved around to monitor the exercise along Enugu Road, Niger Road and Crowther street in Umuahia the state capital, youths were seen playing football instead of cleaning the environment.

She therefore called on Abians to join hands to complement the efforts of the government.

The General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, ASEPA Maazi Okereke Ogbonna appreciated the level of compliance, though not very satisfactory. He went on to enumerate some of the initiatives of the agency in ensuring cleanliness.

According to him, the agency has introduced street pickers, and has commenced house to house collection of waste. He said the agency would soon introduce road side bins to help pedestrians dispose their waste while on the go.

When asked about the use of tyres to burn animal skin, commonly called Kanda, the ASEPA General Manager said the government through his agency is making efforts to have biogas alternatives for the abatoirs.

He said the sensitization for the butchers to stop the use of tyres to burn their meat has been going on, as the tyres introduce harmful substance into the meat.

A total of 92 persons were arrested. Nine persons were discharged on health grounds while to were students going for the UTME mop up examination.