That men and officers of the Nigeria Police see Abia State as a goldmine could be surmised from the fact that once they are transferred out of the State, they work their way back through the back door.

 Describing the development as dangerous and inimical to security, a traditional ruler in the State, the Obi of Ahaba, Eze Moses Nwannu, frowned at the return of transferred policemen to Abia two weeks after they were moved to other States.

 He urged Police authorities to put an end to  the corrupt practices where police men and officers transferred out of the State resort to “working of transfer” to return to the State. He argued that such development could lead to a situation where policemen align with criminals to terrorise the people.

 The traditional ruler  urged the police authorities to transfer policemen who had stayed beyond two years in the State to restrain them from supporting criminal gangs and encouraging lawlessness.
Other stakeholders, including the business community in the State echoed his utterances and called on the Police Authorities to restrain their men from unlawful actions.

 The people of the State were expressing their fears  Friday at a police/community partnership forum organised by the Aba Area Command of the police in conjunction with the Coalition of Business Groups and Associations in the area.

 In his remarks, the traditional ruler of Aba, Eze Isaac Ikonne, said that the police had some bad eggs full of unlawful activities unknown to its hierarchy.

 ``Policemen extort road users, intimidate, harass citizens and scare them from giving information to the police by leaking such information before the giver leaves their office.

 ``The Police authorities should take time to find out what their men are doing from time to time by asking residents in confidence and punishing erring police officers,’’ Ikonne advised
Also contributing, Chief Goddy Egbuchulam, the Chairman of Hoteliers Association of Nigeria, Aba chapter, noted that Policemen in the city had made it a habit to harass and extort lodgers, a development that had affected hotel business in Aba.
``The Police  commissioner should ensure that when policemen need to come to hotels, he should contact the owner or manager directly or through the area commander rather than barging-in on lodgers,’’ he said

 The Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr Habila Joshack, cautioned policemen against impunity, stressing that the new face of the police which encouraged community policing which does not allow for such.

 He noted that a cordial relationship between the police and their host communities is necessary to flush out criminals in Abia.