Arrest of Ifere Paul, political-APC Chairman

The Police in Cross River state have been advised to separate between politics and criminality in the nature of arrest and prosecution of persons who as members of political parties are propagating certain political ideals that may be wrongly construed. 

National Vice Chairman, South South of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) Ntufam Hilliard Eta who gave the advice during a visit to the State Police Command Saturday to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of claims of criminality levelled against a social critic and member of the party, Mr.Paul Ifere by the state government.

Eta said the highly political times could be applied indiscriminately by desperate politicians who want to score cheap political points.

He observed that during such times such desperateness lead some politicians to make wild and unsubstantiated allegations against perceived and or imaginary opponents just to stop the exposure of their antics and dirty past.

He cautioned the police against undue arrest in the name of crime when in actual fact such matters are politically motivated.

The party leader remarked that the arrest of Ifere and Joe Odok who are members of his party on alleged kidnapping and armed robbery among others were politically motivated.

He further advised the police to separate prosecution and political persecution so as to be able to stabilize the polity.

Mr.Paul Ifere was arrested in Abuja on Tuesday, October 19 and taken to Calabar on the orders of the state Governor, Sen.Ben Ayade.

Investigating Police Officer(IPO) Ajala Ebi(ASP) had told the APC Zonal Chairman, Eta that Ifere was handed over to him on Friday over allegations of kidnapping and armed robbery raised in a petition by the Attorney General of the state since last year.

He said the petition according to the  Attorney General followed a social media article written by Ifere which alluded to the fact the Ayade's many trips and junketing foreign lands at the expense of governance was going to plunge the state into a cesspool of kidnapping and armed robbery.

Ayade's government had alleged that Ifere by the piece has answers to the surging kidnapping and robbery in the state hence the petition.

 But Eta who was accompanied by other party members including Chief Alex Irek, said the police should not politicise the investigation adding that the allegations leveled against Ifere like that of Odok were the figment of the government's imagination.

He said the police should expect more of such cases as the political times unfold insisting that the APC will continue to puncture grey areas of the Ayade government for public scrutiny.

He however advised politicians to evolve diplomacy and tact in their activities as the political calendar leading to next year's polls unveils.