With the nationwide furore over the #EndSARS protest yet to simmer down, there is indication that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Mini-Okoro Police Station, Rumuobiakani in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State may be in soup over alleged illegal sale of properties under his care following a court order.

The said properties believed to be worth over N500million of heavy duty construction equipment put under the custody of the police as an exhibit are now reportedly being auctioned by the DPO without court authorization.

Claimants of the property, Evomec Global Services Limited (EGSL) and Seven Energy, both oil and gas servicing firms, through their lawyer, Theo Nkire, have already petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, over the matter.

In the said petition, Barr. Nkire alleged that the Mini-Okoro Police Officer (names withheld) violated court processes.

The company, through its lawyer told Kristina Reports that it discovered to its surprise that the containers in the police station have been vandalized with some of the equipment sold.

Kristina Reports checks at the location where the containers were kept showed that about 80 per cent of the equipment have already been auctioned.

The two companies had won the matter both at the Magistrate Court and High Court in Rivers State, and were awaiting the outcome of the Appeal filed by the plaintiff before learning of the alleged action of the police.

Litigation over the properties began in 2013 between Gelo Integrated Services and others as plaintiffs against the IGP Mohammed Adamu, Evomec Global Services Limited (EGSL), Seven Energy, and others during which time the said equipment were remanded in the custody of the police.

Attempts to reach the Mini-Okoro DPO proved abortive as his phone numbers were not connecting as at the time of this report.

Also calls and messages to the Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni to get his reaction to the matter proved abortive as he neither took the calls nor responded to the messages.  

With the renewed zest of both the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu and the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan to rebrand and reposition the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), actions such as this are sure to receive the full weight of sanctions as deterrent to others.

A highly placed source at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, who preferred anonymity, hinted Kristina Reports that the current mood around the IGP Adamu was that of zero tolerance to acts of misdemeanor by officers and men of the force, which is focused at winning back the confidence of Nigerians especially after the recent #EndSARS protests.