The Abia State Police Command has dismissed six policemen following last week’s cell break at the anti-kidnapping unit of the state’s Criminal Investigation Department in Umuahia that led to the escape of a number of suspects.

The Commissioner of Police in Abia State, Adeleye Oyebade, who made the announcement on Friday, said three of the suspects had been rearrested. He added that the suspects also stole two AK-47 rifles kept outside the unit’s armoury as they fled.

He said the suspects capitalised on the negligence/absence from duty of some of the policemen scheduled for duty on the fateful day.

The Punch reports that the commissioner gave the names of the rearrested suspects as Emeka Ukaegbu, Kingsley Anyim, and Chijioke Chukwu. He said one of the missing rifles have been recovered while Ukaegbu had confessed to where he kept the other AK-47 rifle.

“All the officers involved in the act of negligence/absence from duty have all been taken through the force approved disciplinary action process and dismissed from the force and will be prosecuted soon.

“I’m pained because these same officers have been responsible for up 95 percent of our success story in this command, but we cannot compromise any act that will bring damage to the image of the force.

“I believe in policing with the fear of God and all I have said in this case is nothing but the truth because I want to make heaven.

One of the rearrested suspects, Ukaegbu described how they had escaped from the cell:

“The officer on duty that night gave me the key to lock the VIP cell. So, I collected the spare key and gave it to one girl outside the cell to open the door for us, he said.

“When she opened the door, one Kenneth, now at large, went and collected the guns. He gave me one, but I dropped it because I could not carry it,” he added.