FRSC seeks arrest, prosecution of Abia Speaker, wife over shooting

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has called for the arrest
and prosecution of those involved in the recent shooting of two of
its officials in Abia.

The Public Education Officer and spokesman of the Corps, Mr Bisi
Kazeem, made the call on Tuesday while reacting to the reported
dismissal of a Police Corporal, Iroh Orji, over the incident.

Orji, who was an orderly to the Speaker of Abia House of
Assembly, allegedly pulled the trigger on the FRSC officials at
their duty post on July 15.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade, announced
Orji’s dismissal from the Force on Monday, saying that he was found
guilty of the offence during an orderly room trial.

Kazeem told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the
policeman’s dismissal was a welcomed development.

He, however, called for the criminal prosecution of Orji and
others involved in the shooting, including the Speaker, his wife
and an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS).

He said “the corporal’s dismissal is a welcome development,
which shows that the police have zero tolerance for acts of
indiscipline and lawlessness among their men.

“But, we call on the police to institute criminal proceedings
against him and others involved in the act of criminality against
our men.

“We have made this demand in writing to the Director of DSS in
Abia, who said he had made recommendation to headquarters for
disciplinary action against the operative.

“The director said the recommendation had to be verified and
approved by headquarters before action could be taken.’’

Kazeem said that FRSC had also written to the police command in
the state seeking the arrest of the speaker, his wife and the
driver of the vehicle involved in the incident.

The speaker, Mr Chikwendu Kalu, is alleged to have ordered the
shooting of the FRSC officials, but he has denied the
allegation.

NAN recalls that the incident occurred at Arungwa Junction (near
Aba) on the Enugu-Port-Harcourt highway.

Kalu’s wife, Victoria, was said to be travelling to Aba when the
FRSC men flagged down her vehicle and attempted to book her for
seatbelt violation.

A heated argument ensued during which she allegedly pounced on
the road safety officials with the help of a female DSS operative,
who was travelling with her.

Eyewitnesses said that the woman called her husband, who arrived
at the scene and allegedly ordered his orderly to shoot the FRSC
officials.

When the speaker visited the victims at the hospital the next
day, he was said to have been denied access into the ward where the
FRSC officials were receiving treatment.

One of the wounded officials said “I saw him at the scene. What
if we had died, he would have come to see our corpses.”

But, the speaker blamed the incident on “over-zealousness’’ of
the security officers involved.

“I strongly condemn any over-zealousness on the side of any
security personnel, be it anyone, not to now talk of being the
Police, FRSC, the Army and Department of State Services.

“I think I will be the last person to encourage it because it
doesn’t augur well with state and the country at large,’’ he said.
(NAN)

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has called for the arrest
and prosecution of those involved in the recent shooting of two of
its officials in Abia.

The Public Education Officer and spokesman of the Corps, Mr Bisi
Kazeem, made the call on Tuesday while reacting to the reported
dismissal of a Police Corporal, Iroh Orji, over the incident.

Orji, who was an orderly to the Speaker of Abia House of
Assembly, allegedly pulled the trigger on the FRSC officials at
their duty post on July 15.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade, announced
Orji’s dismissal from the Force on Monday, saying that he was found
guilty of the offence during an orderly room trial.

Kazeem told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the
policeman’s dismissal was a welcomed development.

He, however, called for the criminal prosecution of Orji and
others involved in the shooting, including the Speaker, his wife
and an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS).

He said “the corporal’s dismissal is a welcome development,
which shows that the police have zero tolerance for acts of
indiscipline and lawlessness among their men.

“But, we call on the police to institute criminal proceedings
against him and others involved in the act of criminality against
our men.

“We have made this demand in writing to the Director of DSS in
Abia, who said he had made recommendation to headquarters for
disciplinary action against the operative.

“The director said the recommendation had to be verified and
approved by headquarters before action could be taken.’’

Kazeem said that FRSC had also written to the police command in
the state seeking the arrest of the speaker, his wife and the
driver of the vehicle involved in the incident.

The speaker, Mr Chikwendu Kalu, is alleged to have ordered the
shooting of the FRSC officials, but he has denied the
allegation.

NAN recalls that the incident occurred at Arungwa Junction (near
Aba) on the Enugu-Port-Harcourt highway.

Kalu’s wife, Victoria, was said to be travelling to Aba when the
FRSC men flagged down her vehicle and attempted to book her for
seatbelt violation.

A heated argument ensued during which she allegedly pounced on
the road safety officials with the help of a female DSS operative,
who was travelling with her.

Eyewitnesses said that the woman called her husband, who arrived
at the scene and allegedly ordered his orderly to shoot the FRSC
officials.

When the speaker visited the victims at the hospital the next
day, he was said to have been denied access into the ward where the
FRSC officials were receiving treatment.

One of the wounded officials said “I saw him at the scene. What
if we had died, he would have come to see our corpses.”

But, the speaker blamed the incident on “over-zealousness’’ of
the security officers involved.

“I strongly condemn any over-zealousness on the side of any
security personnel, be it anyone, not to now talk of being the
Police, FRSC, the Army and Department of State Services.

“I think I will be the last person to encourage it because it
doesn’t augur well with state and the country at large,’’ he said.
(NAN)