Eight police officers of the Abia State Command are undergoing trial for allegedly disregarding the Acting Inspector General’s order banning police from mounting check-points and individual patrolling on highways.

The officers were caught by the AIG’s monitoring team while visiting commands to ascertain compliance with directives on illegal detention and long detention without trial.

In response, the State Police Commissioner, Bala Hassan insists that his Command has fully complied with the acting IGP Mohammed Abubakar’s directive, saying that the AIG’s directive did not imply that policemen should not be seen on the roads.

In his words, “It is not true that there should be no police patrol on the roads. Only roadblocks are banned, vehicular and foot patrols are not affected”.

Mr. Hassan implored members of the public not to harass the police on the roads, noting that their presence is for the security of every law-abiding Nigerian. He also noted that since the IGP directives against roadblocks took effect, there had not been any robbery or criminal attack incidents recorded in the state.