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The Asagba of Asaba, Obi Prof Epiphany Azinge, SAN, on Wednesday, sounded the alarm over the relentless invasion of his kingdom by police officers from Abuja, who he said were arresting his subjects over land disputes in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
He made this call when IGP, Kayode Egbetokun visited the palace for royal blessings.
The monarch has denounced this phenomenon as “disturbing” and “unprofessional,” emphasizing that due process is being disregarded.
“I know there is a chain of command in the Police Force, from Area Commands to Headquarters, and then AIG zones. But a situation where incessantly officers come all the way from Abuja for land disputes and land matters to the extent of taking our men and women to Abuja without passing through the chains of command is unprofessional,” Obi Azinge lamented.
The Asagba appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene and ensure that his men adhere to the established chain of command in policing the nation. He expressed disappointment that the police could act against the rules in this modern era.
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Beyond the police invasion, Obi Azinge highlighted two pressing concerns: the rampant drug abuse and activities of notorious fraudsters commonly called Yahoo-Yahoo that have earned Asaba an unsavory reputation.
“We cannot hazard any guess, but given your expertise, you will be able to direct appropriately how to reduce the burden of drugs in Asaba because it leads to crime and criminalities, and that is not good enough for our image,” he urged.
Regarding Yahoo-Yahoo, the monarch lamented, “It haunts the image of Asaba dearly, for it to be said openly that Asaba is now the headquarters of Yahoo Yahoo. We want to be headquarters of better-known and better-valued events than Yahoo Yahoo.”
Despite these challenges, Obi Azinge assured of a robust partnership with the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olufemi Abaniwonda, to maintain peace in the state. He also commended the IGP for restoring peace in troubled areas across the country.
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