The Plateau State Police Command has said that one of the bandits killed by troops in Mangu Local Government Area of the state was a dismissed Special Police Constabulary.
Troops of 3 Division of the Nigerian Army deployed to quell the crisis in Mangu, neutralized three bandits, including the Constabulary, on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
The troops obliterated the criminals when they gallantly fought through an ambush staged by the bandits, while responding to a distress call in Mangu general area.
After successfully clearing the ambush, the troops recovered 3 x AK 47 Rifles,14 rounds of 7.62 mm Special rounds, one motorcycle and a Constabulary Police Identity card. The troops are currently on the trail of bandits who escaped with gunshot wounds during the fire fight.
Spokesperson of the command, DSP Alfred Alabo, in a statement on Thursday, said the Constabulary identified as SCP Katzing Zwalnan Zingfa, absconded from duty over a year ago and had been declared a deserter, according to the first schedule, 1990 and section 107 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020.
“The Plateau State Police Command wishes to clear the air concerning the involvement of one Police Constabulary who is said to be among those neutralized in Mangu Local Government Area by Operation Safe Haven operatives.,’ the PPRO stated.
“The Special Constabulary is a scheme employed by the then Police administration between 2018 and 2019 with the support of the state governments who arranged training colleges and paid for the cost of training
“It involves the voluntary recruitment of able-bodied men and women of all ages to give teeth to the concept of community policing in all parts of the nation. The men were selected by their Traditional Rulers/Local Government Chairmen to be persons of credible character and brought to the Police for training
“The special Constabularies are to aid the Police in intelligence gathering and not to in any way bear firearms. They are only mandated to be physically present at the Police station for two hours daily
“The deceased who was among those neutralized by the Operation Safe Haven operatives, one Katzing Zwalnan Zingfa of Langtang North Local Government Area, Tarok by tribe, born on 23/11/1990. On completion of his training on 13/11/2020, he was posted to Langtang North Area Command and later to Langtang North Division to carry out his mandate of assisting the Police in crime prevention and intelligence gathering
“The personnel in question absconded from duty for over a year now and by his action of absconding from duty, his character was already in question, hence he was defaulted severally by the DPO Langtang North before declaring him a deserter according to the first schedule, 1990 and section 107 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020. The Area Commander, Langtang also directed all DPOs in the Area Command to arrest him, as soon as he is seen
“The DPOs have been on the lookout for the said personnel until 12/07/2023 when the Operation Safe Haven operatives did a good job by neutralizing three bandits in Mangu LGA among whom was the said SCP Katzing Zwalnan Zingfa
“To this end, the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, *CP Bartholomew N. Onyeka psc(+)* wishes to inform the general public that it is true that the above named deceased was once a member of the Special Constabulary of the Nigeria Police Force, but wants the general public to note that he has since been declared a deserter and has been dismissed from the force. All efforts to track him and retrieve all Police accoutrement proved abortive, until 12th July, 2023 when he met his Waterloo.
“The entirety of the Nigeria Police Force wishes to at this point, distance itself from the activities of the said personnel who at the time of committing this act, was not in any way a member of the Force as he has already been dismissed
“The CP further warned that the Nigeria Police Force will never tolerate any of its officers with criminal tendencies within the force, and will always do it’s best to ensure that they have no place in the force
“He therefore urges the good people of Plateau State to go about their lawful businesses and give the Police accurate, timely and useful information to enable proactive response to crime and criminality within the state.”
