The Delta State Police Commissioner, Mr Mohammed Ali has carried out a reshuffling of top officers of his Command as part of steps to check the rising crime wave in some parts of the state.
Major cities and towns like Warri, Uvwie, Ughelli and Sapele have in recent times witnessed ‘high profile killings’ that have also claimed the lives of police officers.
The inability of the police hierarchy in the state to investigate and bring to book any of the persons suspected to be behind the killings have raised serious concerns and fears amongst residents of these crime-prone areas.
In response to the rising crime wave particularly in these worst-hit areas, CP Ali was reported in some sections of the media to have sacked or removed the Divisional Police Officers DPOs of Warri, Sapele and C Division in Asaba.
However, speaking with NewsNet in an exclusive phone chat on Tuesday, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya said some officers of the Command were reshuffled and not sacked.
“It is not true. A Commissioner does not have the power to sack a DPO. DPO is of the rank of CSP or SP.
“They only reshuffle policemen. Those are the internal workings of the police.
“Nobody was sacked. It is the Police Service Commission that does that; it is not the Commissioner of Police,” said Onovwakpoyeya.
