PTI students, security chief attack police

Written by Muhammad Sabiu, Gusau Friday, 22 June 2012

THE quick intervention of a reinforcement of policemen on Thursday, saved the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, from being thrown into a theatre of war, when the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the school, allegedly mobilised the student community to resist the arrest of the Chief Accountant of the institute by men of the Delta State Police Command, Asaba, for tax default.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the policemen, who were accompanied by the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue (DBIR) on the clamp down exercise on tax defaulters in the state, were at the PTI to arrest the Chief Accountant for an alleged failure to honour the invitation by the Commissioner of Police to answer questions on issues relating to the over N3.59billion tax debt to the state government.

To the chagrin of the members of the team, it was learnt that the CSO, who was said to be cordial last Monday, when the police visited, opted to behave the other way, as he allegedly led the student community and other officials of the institute to attack the police, and ordered the closure of the main entrance to the school.

Security sources disclosed that trouble started when the police, having introduced themselves, told an accountant in the office of the Chief Accountant of the institute that he will go with them to Asaba, since his boss was not on ground.

“Some other staff, who were in the office at that time, raised the alarm, which attracted other officers occupying the administrative block, including the CSO, who came out, shouting that over his dead body, will such a thing happen in PTI.

“The uncontrollable shout of the CSO, who obviously was trying to show his might, ordered that the gate should be locked against the men of the Nigeria Police Force and DBIR team, with other staff.

This singular act alerted the students, who joined the CSO and other staff to hold the team hostage.

via Tribune