Two officials of the Sokoto State Marshals Corps have been convicted for various offences, while 15 others have been remanded in prison within the last nine months, its Commandant, Mr Mr Sa’idu Madawaki, has said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the corps, which has 2, 300 personnel, was established by the state government to provide general security to local communities, assist in traffic control and environmental sanitation.
Madawaki told newsmen in Sokoto on Wednesday that those convicted were serving jail terms at the Sokoto Central Prison.
He said that the affected officials were dragged to court for various offences including sodomy, house breaking, theft and impersonation.
According to him, the action is to rid the corps of bad elements, so as to earn the confidence of the populace.
“All the affected officials were initially suspended, then handed over to the state police command which prosecuted them.
“We have been doing this to sanitize our operations as our organization was established by the state government to complement the efforts of the various security agencies.
”Such efforts are aimed at securing lives and property, and to make life easier for all the law abiding residents of the state,” Madawaki added.
The commandant, a retired police commissioner, warned personnel of the agency against all forms of criminal activities, adding that it would not allow bad elements to discredit the organisation.
He disclosed that no fewer than 786 motorists were arrested in the state for various traffic offences in the last nine months.
” We had also impounded vehicles and motorcycles and some cases to the Motor Traffic Department of the state police command.
NAN
”We had also arrested seven suspected criminals from the mainstream society and handed them to the police command for further investigations and prosecution.”
Madawaki denied allegation of illegal deductions of salaries of the personnel, saying that the deductions only effected those who absented themselves from work without permission.
He said that such deductions were fully documented and paid into the coffers of the state government.
”In the last nine months, the organization has paid back over N6.4 million of such deductions into the state coffers, and the action would be sustained to encourage punctuality.
”I am appealing to the public to continue to cooperate with officials of the corps, with a view to further secure lives and property by keeping all criminals at bay.
” The general public should also endeavour to report to us any erring marshal who misbehaves or conducts himself in an unorganized manner,” he added.
Madawaki pledged that disciplinary action would be taken against any personnel found wanting.
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