The Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State has
given the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS), 30 days to vacate
the premises it currently occupies at the Council’s International
Market in Rukpoku Community, in the LGA.....
Also, SARS operatives in the State were given October 19
till November 30, this year, to deliver same property to the authority
of the Council.The office used by SARS in the State, was originally built
to be used as market, but because of criminal activities in the area, a
building in the premises was given to the security outfit of the Nigeria
Police.
But, recently, there has been a face-off between SARS and
some well placed individuals in the State and Obio/Akpor LGA in
particular, over alleged misconducts of the security operatives.Saturday Sun gathered that a letter to that effect was
addressed to the Commander of SARS, Akin Fakorede, and signed by
Obio/Akpor Local Government Council Legal Adviser, Victor Owhonda-Wokem,
telling SARS to vacate the premises.
The council authority in the letter noted that the call was
to enable the council carry out full renovation work in order to
commence the original purpose in which the property was built.It read in part: “I am directed by the Local Government
Council to give you one month notice to vacate and deliver up possession
of the premises/property of the Obio/Akpor International Market which
you presently occupy as a licensee thereof, on or before 30th day of
November, 2017.
“This directive is borne out of the council’s need to carry
out major renovation works at the international market and to put the
said property which you occupy into full use and purpose for which it
was originally acquired and built.”
Those copied in the letter included the State Governor,
Nyesom Wike, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the
State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Zaki.
Responding, Fakorede, F-SARS Commander, described the
letter by Council authority as misleading and warned the LGA against
making false claims.
Fakorede noted that the facility was originally built to
serve as a police station, stressing that it was officially handed over
to the State Police Command by the immediate past Governor of the
State, Chibuike Amaechi.
“I wish to respectively inform your good office that the
Rivers State Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) is not in
possession of any premises/property of Obio/Akpor Local Government.
“For the purpose of clarity and the avoidance of doubt the
F-SARS is presently occupying a purpose-built police facility
constructed for the police and officially handed over to the SARS Rivers
State on August 23, 2012, by the Rivers Government under Chibuike
Amaechi,” the letter read.
Also, the Public Relations Officer of the State Police
Command, Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), in a
swift reaction, noted that the Local Government authority had no right
to evict the police from the facilty, adding that the council was not
housing SARS.
Omoni wondered why the LGA would initiate such move to quit
SARS, stressing that there was no tenantship agreement between the
police and the council.
He noted that a copy of the letter has been forwarded to the Legal Department of the Command for the next line of action.
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