Flood which accompanied heavy rainfall has sacked police officers and men as well as detainees at the C Division in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The division, which is few metres from the headquarters of the state Police Command at Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo, was flooded and has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and dangerous reptiles. The main building, which has been rendered inaccessible by flood, has been under lock and key for nearly two years. Gaining access to the police division has become a big task as police officers and members of the public have no alternative but navigate through the slippery terrain and murky water to the flooded offices on a daily basis. Policemen are using makeshift tents and shops as offices. But when it rains, the tents and shops are not spared as officers will have to scamper for safety.

It was learnt that the bungalow behind the submerged building was built by some businessmen operating at NEPA Line axis of Uyo. The project was under the Community Policing Programme. The building was reportedly meant to be a quest house for high profile police guests, but had to be converted to a police station because of worsening flood in the former station. Sources revealed that officers grapple with the issue of attempts by detainees to run away since the building was not designed as a police station. Detainees are kept in the living room of the building.

An officer called on concerned authorities to come to their aid. He said: “Imagine working in this kind of environment on a daily basis. It is so embarrassing. The Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Federal Government should see how to address this; we can’t continue this way.” Another officer said: “We want to draw awareness to this matter. We can’t be suffering like this every year.” However, the state government had promised to alleviate their plight by declaring the entire area disaster-prone and rebuild the station soon. The Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ephraim Inyang-Eyen, who visited the area recently, promised to give them a temporary accommodation while efforts would be made to build a more befitting station. The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the division could not be seen at press time.

By http://www.daybreaknew.com