An inspector has been detained following the disappearance of a service rifle at the Abia State Police Command Headquarters in Umuahia.
The incident occurred around 1:00 p.m. and involved Inspector Ibe Stanley (AP/No. 338698), attached to the Metro 3 Unit, Mine.
According to a police incident report, Inspector Stanley was on duty at the command headquarters gate when he requested permission from his guard commander, Inspector Elemi Ivara, to briefly leave his post to eat. Before leaving, he reportedly secured his rifle inside his bag and left it at the command quarter guard.
However, upon returning, the officer discovered that the bag containing the rifle was missing. An alarm was immediately raised, but none of the officers on duty admitted to taking the bag. Other officers present included Inspectors Mark Okoi, Elemi Ivara, Jacobson Aniedi, and two others whose identities have not been confirmed.
The incident report stated:
“At about 1300 hours, while posted on duty at the Abia State Command Headquarters gate, he took permission from his guard commander to go and eat. He dropped his rifle at the command quarter guard, locked inside his bag. Upon his return, he discovered that the bag containing his rifle had been taken by an unknown person. He raised an alarm, but nobody accepted responsibility.”
Following the incident, Inspector Stanley was defaulted and detained at the Central Police Station (CPS), Umuahia, pending further investigation.
The Commanding Officer of the 28 Police Mobile Force (PMF), Umuahia, forwarded the report as investigations into the missing firearm continue.
