Okon Bassey
2 February 2002
Calabar — Junior Police Officers in Cross-River State have bluffed pleas by the Inspector General of Police (IG), Musiliu Smith for the men to shelve their proposed general strike.
THISDAY checks reveal that the junior officers under the cadre of rank and file and inspectors made good their threat Thursday by embarking on indefinite strike.
In Calabar, Cross River State capital, THISDAY gathered, the police headquarters, Diamond Hill and other sub-stations were locked, paralysing normal public activities at those stations.
When THISDAY visited the state Police Headquarters, the gate was locked as early as 7.30 am. while senior police officers who reported for work were banned from going into the premises.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Thomas Sodimu who arrived the state Police headquarters in the morning for official duties was booed and urged by the striking policemen who were in their mufti to go back.
However, the Commissioner was only allow to enter into the premises after he had begged.
To ensure that the strike does not affect some public and federal institutions senior police officers have been drafted to take over security control especially at the state Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), NEPA, Central Bank, Post Office among others.
Sitting of the State House of Assembly was called off Thursday following the strike action by the Police. Members who arrived the Assembly complex for the day's business were asked to go back that it was a security risk to conduct any business.
All the junior Police officers attached to the state governors office and the state House of Assembly and other public places have since been withdrawn following the strike.
Banks, Federal Government establishments and corporate organizations in the state have locked their gates for the members of the public for fear of being attacked by hoodlums.
Efforts to see the state Commissioner of Police and the Police Public Relationship Officer, Mr. Joseph Eze Uzonn (ASP) was not fruitful as they could not be reached for comment on the strike.
Speaking in an interview, the Deputy Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Hon. Patrick Antigha Ene appealed to the striking Police to realise the importance of their duties by returning to work.
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