The Rivers State Police command on Wednesday arrested four alleged Policemen at Cedar Wood estate off SARS road, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area who are into business of land grabbing and collecting illegal levy known as ‘matching ground’ from land developers in the area.
It was gathered that the Police Officers with over 15 patrol vans drawn from different tactical unit of the command raided a building where the Policemen are normally camped inside the estate.
According to an eyewitness, four officers and a Hilux Police patrol vehicle was taken away by the men of tactical unit who came for the arrest.
Speaking to our reporter, a resident of the area disclosed that the arrest followed series of petitions by residents of the area to the Commissioner of Police, CP Eboka Friday and the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba on the illegal activities of the alleged Policemen and of a ‘Don’ and his thugs who works with them.
The resident explained that the modus of operandi is that the officers and the thugs working for the ‘Don’ normally come to site where land owners are developing their land, asked them to pay money ranging from 100,000 above and if the person refused to pay, the land developer will be beaten up and his/her fence brought down.
Another resident said in some cases, the Officers and their thugs on instruction of the ‘Don’ take over the property of the land owners and sell to another person.
The residents decried the suffering they have gone through in the hands of the ‘Don’ and the officers.
The residents thanked the Commissioner of Police, CP Eboka Fridays for the arrest of the officers while urging him to ensure the arrest of the fleeing ‘Don’ and other officers with a view to ensuring prosecution.
The spokesperson for the Rivers State Police command, DSP Grace Iringe Koko was yet to respond to text messages sent by our reporter to her mobile line as at press time.
