Umuahia — Commissioner of Police, Abia State, Mr. Jonathan Johnson, has lashed out on officers and men of the command for indiscriminate inspection of vehicle particulars, and threatened to dismiss any one found inspecting such particulars on the road without authorisation from the police hierarchy, describing such action as illegal.

Johnson, who read the riot act while addressing police officers and men at Umuokpara Police Station Umuahia, as part of his on-going familiarisation tour of the police divisions in his command, said it was illegal for any police team on road block to inspect vehicle particulars without vehicle Inspection Officers or a directive from the Commissioner of police.

"Unless there is a declaration by the Commissioner of Police, all that you have been doing-stopping people, checking vehicle licenses are all illegal jobs. You are warned to desist from it. When you stop a vehicle, instead of you to inspect the boots, you start demanding for particulars, road worthiness, change of ownership, police report, Police clearance, fire extinguisher etc. All those things are illegal.

"All I want you to do is to check the vehicle because some people hide guns under their vehicles and the boot where kidnappers hide their victims and let go of the vehicle. I will commission a task force and if they find you on the road checking particulars you, will sleep in my cell till I get you dismissed," he threatened.

The no-nonsense Commissioner of Police and rule of law crusader also frowned at the attitude of some policemen on road block who stand in the middle of the road to flag down vehicles or inspect vehicles that have not clearly veered off the road, and noted that such reckless attitude could lead to accidents and wanton loss of human lives.

Johnson was also miffed by the unpatriotic attitude of some bad eggs in the force who allegedly sell arms and ammunition to criminals for their nefarious activities and advised them to desist or be treated as criminals when caught.

He expressed dismay at the rate policemen connive with criminals to unleash terror on unsuspecting members of the public and warned those affected to turn a new leaf as nemesis will soon catch up with them.

The Police Commissioner also frowned at the attitude of some of his men who falsify their credentials and records in order to fraudulently gain promotion and warned that outright dismissal awaits any body caught in the act.

He encouraged officers and men of the command to register with the Police Health Insurance Scheme for free medical treatments, maintaining that anyone not registered with the scheme will be denied free medical treatments.

Johnson further gave the Divisional Police Officer one week to decongest traffic build-up at Umuahia Tower Express Junction, stressing that indiscriminate parking of vehicles at the area portends grave danger to lives especially as the Christmas season sets in.

Johnson who also visited Ohuhu Divisional Police Station and World Bank Police Station both in Umuahia North LGA continued with the message of rebranding among officers and rank and file to restore public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force, and appealed to public spirited individuals to partner with government in equipping the police for greater results.

He was accompanied on the tour by top ranking police offices in the state and the chairman Police Community Relation Committee, Abia State , Sir Ugochukwu Obi.