TENSION IN ENUGU AS POLICE ATTACK ARMY OFFICER

SOURCE: LEDERSHIP

A row may be in the offing between soldiers of the 82 Division,
Nigerian Army, Enugu, and the Enugu State Police Command following a
physical attack on the Provost Group Commander, 82 Division, Col. AMD
Dawalong, by some unidentified police men operating at the Government
Reserved Area (GRA), Enugu.
According to an eye witness account, Col. Dawalong was attacked by the
policemen few days ago as he was driving home in the night after the
close of work. He was said to be in the company of a lady believed to
be a police officer at the time of the attack.
The source said the attackers made sure the army officer was beaten to
a pulp, before sympathisers rushed him to the nearby Parklane Hospital
where he received first aid treatment, before he was taken to an
undisclosed hospital in the city.
When LEADERSHIP contacted the image maker, Enugu State Police Command,
Ebere Amarizu, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), he confirmed
the attack on the army officer, saying the command is investigating
the circumstances that led to the incident.
He further said that the State Police Command had enjoyed
long-standing relationship with the army, and would not tolerate a
situation where policemen would beat up a soldier "no matter the level
of provocation".
The assistant director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Col. Hamza
Gambo, also confirmed the incident. He said the army was cautious in
its approach to the matter so as not to provoke tension in the
relationship between the army and police.
Col. Dawalong also confirmed to LEADERSHIP that he was thoroughly
beaten up by some policemen while driving home on that fateful day.
He said he had been receiving treatment at a private hospital due to
the strike action embarked upon by doctors in public hospitals which
ended yesterday.
However, some soldiers who spoke to LEADERSHIP on condition of
anonymity expressed shock and dismay that policemen could beat a
senior army officer to stupor without the army doing anything over the
incident.