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Says, Recent Abraka Student’s Protest, Needless
THIS week, we are featuring the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olufemi Abaniwonda, as he speaks to The Pointer Platform team. He is from Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State. He attended Lagos Progressive Primary School, Victoria High School and Lagos State Polytechnic. He obtained first and second degrees from the University of Lagos before joining the Nigerian Police Force in 1992 as a Cadet Officer on May 18, 1992 and passed out in December 1993.
He has had several postings. First to Kogi State Command (A Division). He became a Divisional Traffic Officer, and shortly after, got mobilised into the Nigerian Police Mobile Force, where he served twice as the Commander of Mobile Unit 21, participating in several operations and eventually became the Commander of Mopol 8 during the crisis in Plateau State, which broke out in October 2001. He remained there until April 2005, and later returned to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where he served as DPO in Kubwa, Gwarinpa, Karimo, and later Lugbe. Thereafter, he became the Area Commander in Gwagwalada, at the height of the crisis involving cattle rustling and kidnapping along the Lokoja-Kabba and Lokoja-Abuja express roads, and from there, he got reassigned to the Force Headquarters as Assistant Commissioner (AC) in charge of Promotions. Afterwards, he was posted as Area Commander, Oyo State, where he spent three years, and returned once more to Headquarters as Deputy Commissioner (DC), Administrations, Federal Operations.
From there, he was posted to Lokoja as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigation). Six months later, he was asked to return to the headquarters as Deputy First Secretary. He resumed in Delta State on February 1st, 2024, as the 22nd Commissioner of Police.
He spoke on a number of issues, his experience as a Police officer, the challenges, the beauty, his posting to Delta State as Police Commissioner, the joy of working in the State and the challenges, the Police Command’s relationship with the State government and the people, and many more. Excerpts
Could you please give an overview of the current security situation in Delta State?
I would like to begin with what we inherited when I assumed office about a year and six months ago. What we met was a very challenging security situation. There were incidents of kidnapping, banditry, cultism, drug abuse, various forms of crime, and community crises.
But to the glory of God, in the last one and a half years, Delta State has remained one of the most secure states in the country.
As of our last count during last year’s end-of-year press briefing, we recovered about 24 AK-47 rifles, over 5,000 rounds of ammunition, an uncountable number of drugs, pump-action guns, and locally fabricated weapons. We made many recoveries. Numerous kidnappers were arrested, some neutralised, some sent to prison.
This year alone, we have recovered about 20 AK-47 and AK-49 rifles, a large number of pump-action guns, and significant quantities of drugs.
Several cult leaders have been arrested and prosecuted. At our prompting, the State Governor, Rt. Hon Sherrif Oborevwori is in the process of initiating an amendment of the Anti-Cultism Law to address the issue more firmly.
If you observe Delta State closely, you’ll notice that many of these crises are driven by young people involved in various cult groups attacking one another. This leads to the untimely loss of lives. It’s a major crisis in Delta, and we are tackling it head-on. As for drugs, we have gone after major dealers. Many of them have been sent to prison. The foundation for most of these criminal activities is drug abuse. Once these young ones abuse drugs, they gain what is called “Dutch courage,” which emboldens them to commit crimes.
We have also worked in collaboration with other security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Army, which has been tremendously helpful.
If you look at it, we had one of the most peaceful Christmas celebrations in Delta State in a long time. Many people returned home, and businesses began returning to the State. If you were here during the Easter celebration, you would understand what I’m saying. Nightlife is returning. Businesses are returning.
Security is one of the pillars of the MORE Agenda of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Delta State. Without it, he cannot attract the investors he’s seeking. Come to Asaba, it looks like a construction site. Look at the roads, hotels, and other businesses coming up. So, overall, we are not doing badly. Considering the national picture, our recoveries and arrests are commendable.
But there is an isolated case. Two or three weeks ago, there was a crisis in Abraka, which led to the temporary closure of Delta State University (DELSU). what happened and what is the current situation in the town?
What happened in Abraka was needless. Most of these challenges are due to our geographical location. Delta is bordered by Anambra, Ondo, Edo, and Kogi, all states with their security issues. Now, about the University. A student with a white GLK vehicle was reportedly kidnapped by two young men who are now in prison, haven been charged. His vehicle was taken, and ₦70 million was withdrawn from his cryptocurrency account. The suspects attempted to sell the vehicle in Lagos, but we tracked and arrested them in Benin.
Our challenges with the Edo boundary are ongoing. We’ve picked up many suspects. Some operate outside Delta, in Rivers, Anambra, and beyond. One such notorious individual was a small Hausa provision seller in Anambra who came into Delta State to commit crimes. We tracked and arrested them.
Again, the Governor deserves thanks for being a listening leader. I approached him and suggested we speak to certain individuals who were sponsoring unrest because they are de-marketing the state.
As you know, people say the #EndSARS, which then echoed across Nigeria. There has always been this attempt to use Delta State as a linchpin to create crisis all over the country. That is what they attempted to do in Abraka.
They came and said they wanted to protest and were invited, including the Student Union. I spoke with the Vice Chancellor and confirmed that no student was kidnapped, so this had nothing to do with the Student Union.
I also spoke to the President of the Student Union Government (SUG), Abraka, on the same issue, stating that it was none of their business, but he insisted otherwise. They claimed the aforementioned boy was kidnapped. I told him that the culprits had been arrested and charged, but he still refused to accept it. Still, they insisted on protesting. I deployed my Area Commander to Abraka. They said I must come personally. I agreed, and we held meetings.
Despite assurances of a peaceful protest, it escalated. A day later, our men in the bush engaged the kidnappers. Four were neutralised and weapons recovered.
Meanwhile, an individual took someone into the bush to sell land around the Delta-Edo border, and they were ambushed and killed. When our DPO and team returned to investigate, they were also ambushed, and there was an exchange of gunfire.
Relatives of the slain men then attacked the northern community in retaliation. We had to move these people into protective custody pending when we could speak with concerned stakeholders.
Unfortunately, a mischievous individual circulated an old protest video and attached it to footage of our DPO transporting the bodies of the neutralised kidnappers to the mortuary. That video gave a false impression. We urge the public to always fact-check such material.
On the issue of protest, the Government is trying to bring development. Roads are being constructed, and each time you make bonfires on those roads, you weaken the structures, and later, people complain that the government is not working.
Today, Abraka is calm. The Student Union President has apologised, admitting that hoodlums hijacked the protest. That’s why we ask: if you plan to protest, inform us so we can provide security. Otherwise, miscreants would take over, and properties would be lost, people harassed, and lives lost.
His Excellency liaised with Local Government Chairmen and approved the deployment of tactical teams along that volatile border. Most of these issues are caused by incursions from neighbouring states.
Abraka is isolated, but Asaba, the state capital, shares a similar vulnerability due to its proximity to other states. As the foremost law enforcement officer in Delta State, what has the police done under your command to secure Asaba in the last 18 months?
When I arrived, every shop in Asaba closed by 8:30 p.m. Please check again now, what time do they close? That was the first thing that shocked me. One night, I went looking for bread and found that Shoprite was closed by 8:30 p.m. I was stunned. I was told, “Oga, na so e be.”
We started work immediately. We went after the criminals. We deployed around the Head Bridge and made many recoveries. Criminals started fleeing.
You know DLA leads to the expressway. When criminals come in, they try to escape quickly. At one time, there were three military checkpoints there. We made their escape difficult.
There have been many arrests and recoveries. Go to Okpanam Junction. Go to Marian Babangida Road at night. Go to DBS or the Express. Businesses are thriving. Asaba is alive.
Again, if you were here during Easter, you’d know, the whole of the Southeast was in town. These are the specifics, the fact that life and businesses are thriving. The fact that you can come here, do your business without fear of being molested, harassed, or kidnapped has been possible through community-based approaches and ICT. Many of these individuals (perpetrators) have been arrested, which is why the environment appears the way it is today.
I must point out that it’s not just Asaba alone. What is happening here is also happening in Sapele, in Warri. Because I supervise the whole state, I can confidently say that the entire state has become a business-friendly environment for any entrepreneur. And if our people in the diaspora are coming home to invest their money, it means we are doing very well.
I would also like to take this opportunity to commend your Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Bright Edafe, who has been very aggressive in showcasing the efforts of the Delta State Police Command. He’s doing a commendable job.
The issue of drug abuse has become quite worrisome, particularly in Asaba. A few meters from where we are seated now, there are notorious hotspots, where people go to buy and sell drugs. The police raid those places repeatedly but after a week or two, the drug peddlers regroup. What’s your take on this?
Thank you very much. I would like to first lay the foundation. These places are well-known. But please remember that in 2023, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), which holds the primary responsibility, not the Nigerian Police, for combating this menace, had an encounter at one of those hotspots. Shots were fired. There was no public sympathy. The moment that incident occurred, the country and the world descended upon them. As I speak, officers from my headquarters who were involved in that incident are being prosecuted.
The agency has had to pay heavily for that situation. Now, I can show you videos of our raids in those environments. Once we are done here, I will show you the footage of the drugs we recovered and the arrests made.
But that’s not all.
Yes, we make arrests and prosecute offenders, but let me be clear: most of the people we arrest in those places are the errand boys. The big players, the real drug barons, do not stand on the street. They stay hidden. So, when we arrest the small dealers, someone else is always ready to come and bail them out.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you check our records under Section 4, our responsibility is the arrest, detention, and prosecution of offenders. But we are not the final authority, the courts are.
Most of these offences are bailable. The court, or even the police in certain cases, must grant bail. Once an individual is granted bail, we cannot be responsible for what they go on to do.
Let’s also remember: many of these offenders do not have any other source of livelihood apart from trading in drugs. So naturally, they return to the trade. We have countless videos that my PPRO has produced showing how drugs are concealed and trafficked. I instructed him to do that so the public would understand that we are actively working.
But lately, you may have noticed that there’s been a reduction in parading suspects. That’s because the Attorney General of the Federation has stated that we cannot parade individuals due to the presumption of innocence.
So now, we focus more on narratives, and you still see footage of drug recoveries trending.
We sometimes collaborate with news media so that the public stays informed.
Again, in response to this drug menace, I called a meeting with the Commissioner for Women Affairs and all relevant stakeholders in Delta State to find ways of sensitising our youths to the dangers of drug abuse. But while we do this, it is also very important that we involve parents, who bear the ultimate responsibility for their children’s upbringing.
You’ll even find cases of self-kidnap, yes, that is one of the many criminal behaviours rooted in drug abuse. Take, for example, the girl who told her mother to pay ₦2 million. The boyfriend would take ₦1.5 million, and she would take ₦500,000.
Another case was a young man whose father had just returned from the UK. The son said the father should pay ₦2 billion. Where were they arrested? At a drug joint.
We do not have absolute control.
Ladies and gentlemen, for every arrest we make, there are many more that go unreported. And again, when the Nigerian government, through the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), attempted to shut down and sanitise a certain environment responsible for producing and distributing drugs across the country, what happened? Protests! Massive protests. So, you can see that we are treading carefully.
In doing this job, one must also be mindful not to put oneself at personal risk.
In performing your duties, what is your relationship with other security agencies. Beyond Delta State, we’ve seen videos of police officers clashing with army officers, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the NDLEA. But in Delta, for as long as we can’t remember, particularly in the last year and six months under your watch, such scenarios have not occurred. How have you managed to maintain that?
I would like to tell you a story, and I’ll show you something, because everything I say, I want to link it. A couple of months ago, around January or February, to be precise, there was a widely reported case involving Okere Prison, where inmates were allegedly being taken out to rob in Benin. We picked them up.
During the investigation, we needed to speak to someone. I was outside the country at the time, and my boss called me. He asked, “Did you invite so-and-so person?” I said, “Yes, sir.” And he replied, “The directive of the President, Commander-in-Chief, is that all of you must find a way to work together, so we can bring security to every Nigerian.” That’s my answer.
If you look at it, no single organisation can claim to provide comprehensive security. It’s not about one person, it’s all of us, different security organisations, all answerable to one source: the government and the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So, as far as I’m concerned, there’s no basis for comparison or competition.
The President, Commander-in-Chief, said in Makurdi that we should work together to defeat the enemy, not fight ourselves. Your strength may be someone else’s weakness, and their strength may be your weakness.
Collaborating, that’s the key word.
There’s a saying, TEAM: Together Each Achieves More. That’s exactly what we do. We achieve more by working together, not by competing, because competition leaves the door open for saboteurs to exploit differences.
When there’s a line of communication, for example, if your men arrest someone, you inform the commander: “Look, I have your officers; this is what they’ve done.” Or if they pick your men, they inform you. That builds a healthy relationship. It’s about respecting each other and working in harmony.
Why are Police officers stopping people and searching their phones? Doesn’t that violate the right to privacy?
My answer is this: my boss, the Inspector General of Police, has given specific and repeated instructions regarding the legality of phone searches. The Force PRO and my own PRO have issued numerous press statements stating clearly: it is unlawful for any officer to demand to search the phone of a Nigerian citizen.
Now, if you’re in custody and the phone is suspected to have been used in the commission of a crime, that’s a different matter.
But randomly, on the street, no. If anyone demands to search your phone, tell them it is unlawful, and you will not comply. And unless we as a people stand for our rights, they will continue to be violated. It is wrong, unacceptable, and against the directive of the Inspector General of Police for any police officer to search a citizen’s phone.
In 2020, there was a protest that shook Asaba. Shortly afterward, the Okpanam Road, particularly the road in front of your command headquarters, was barricaded. It has remained so ever since. You’ve said nightlife is returning, which is good. But that barricade creates heavy traffic, especially in the evenings. Some people say, “The police are scared.” What’s your take on this? When will this barricade be removed??
When the Inspector General returned from Benue, he said: we are not withdrawing. As you said, at the end of the EndSARS protest in 2020, many police formations were attacked and destroyed. That led to this measure to safeguard not just the buildings, but also the personnel. These officers are Nigerians too.
At every protest, the first target is always the security agencies. If you don’t think ahead, if you don’t protect your assets, you will be left vulnerable. Even the American Embassy sometimes issues advisories against going near military facilities, because attackers want to make a statement.
To gain attention, they target military or police infrastructure.
So, it’s not just about the Nigerian Police. If you go along Anwai Road, for instance, the army has similar barricades. We’re simply taking precautions to protect lives and property. We deal with criminals. We can never be afraid, but we must be strategic. We also plead with citizens to see the need to secure these properties from attacks. We have suspects in custody, high-profile ones. And others, still at large, would love nothing more than to break in and free them. That’s exactly what happened in Edo and parts of Lagos during the aforementioned incident.
There’s a saying: “The horse that falls into a pit teaches the one behind a lesson.” These are lessons learnt. We’ve taken proactive steps to ensure our facilities aren’t attacked.
