A/Ibom Police Command Urges CSOs To Operate Within Law

By Patrick Titus, Uyo

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has charged all Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) operating in the state to conduct their activities strictly within the ambit of the law to avoid any actions capable of disrupting public peace and order.

Commissioner of Police in the State, CP Baba Mohammed Azare gave the charge during a meeting he convened with leaders of various CSOs last week at the Command’s Headquarters in Uyo.

According the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, who said in a statement that CP Azare had warned the Civil Society Organizations in the state against the use of the nomenclature “AKWA IBOM CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM.”

“CP Azare clarified that the use of this name is unlawful as it creates a misleading impression of being the official umbrella body for all CSOs in Akwa Ibom State, which it is not. He consequently ordered all organizations to cease operating under this unauthorized name (AKWA IBOM CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM) with immediate effect,” DSP John stated.

The meeting was attended by leaders of prominent CSOs, including: the Director, Center for Human Rights and Accountability Network, CHRAN, Franklyn Isong, Executive Director Policy Alert, Comrade Tijah Bolton-Akpan, Executive Director, Comrade Elkanah Oluyori, Dr. Ini Adiakpan, Immediate past State Commissioner of Women Affairs as well as representatives from various civil society groups.

Our Correspondent reports that the directive by the Police Command came on the heels of some disturbing infringement moulding within the CSOs space in the state arising on supremacy, a situation if not checked, could lead to breakdown of law and order in the state.