The Commissioner of Police in Cross River State, Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, has cautioned security personnel against unauthorized detentions, abuse of authority, and the deployment of police facilities to resolve contractual disagreements and civil matters.
Mr Ordue issued the warning during unannounced inspections at the State Housing, Federal Housing, and Ikpa Omin police divisions situated in Calabar. The visits formed part of his ongoing Management by Walking About strategy aimed at evaluating operational readiness.
“The police must not be used as an instrument of intimidation, harassment or debt recovery, particularly in matters involving contractual disagreements, land disputes, and other civil transactions,” the police chief stated.
He strongly advised officers to desist from criminalizing ordinary civil disagreements, stressing the necessity of exercising professional discernment to separate civil grievances from genuine criminal offenses. According to the commissioner, only cases involving actual criminal infractions should be subjected to formal criminal inquiries under the law.
During the tour, Mr Ordue reviewed holding cells, security installations, and general operational infrastructure. He also evaluated the administrative efficiency and adherence to standard operational guidelines within the divisions.
What directives were given to division leaders?
He instructed the officers in charge of the respective divisions to enhance internal oversight, safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens, and maintain accurate documentation for all arrests, inquiries, and detentions.
Mr Ordue emphasized that adherence to the rule of law, professionalism, and institutional accountability remain essential benchmarks for effective police operations.
He noted that the Management by Walking About framework was established to bridge the distance between top-level command and daily field operations through direct engagement with personnel.
Concluding his remarks, the commissioner reassured residents of the command's dedication to protecting lives and property while maintaining responsive and accountable law enforcement. He encouraged members of the public to assist security operatives by providing reliable and timely information to aid crime prevention across the state.