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The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hassan Karma yesterday in Onitsha accused the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB of breeding criminals even as the command paraded 43 MASSOB members in Awka.  This recent arrest is not the first, as several members of the group had been rounded up by the police in the recent past. The police Commissioner also  proclaimed ban on the  police in the state from following revenue agents and collectors in the name of security. He insisted this is not part of the official duty of the Nigerian police.

He warned people who are fond of using the police in achieving their selfish ends in civil matter to desist from doing so and to keep police out of civil matter as it is not part of their job. Any body who has a civil matter to sort out should go to court to get the necessary redress via a legal and right means. He also reiterated his commitment to return peace and tranquility to the state as well as reposition the Nigerian police command in Anambra state for better service delivery  and more professional dispensation of its duty to the general public.

Most members of the movement paraded were workers on building construction sites, traders and motor park operators. Some of them were picked up from their places of work, while others were picked up from their homes following what the police called "a tip off from members of the public". The commissioner observed that there had been increase on the rate of assault on innocent people in the state in recent times by members of the group, alleging that most of those attacked were dispossessed of their personal effects such as  cash, mobile phones, hand bags, among other things.

According to him, members of the movement were arrogating to themselves so much authority as if they were acting on government’s directives and made it clear that the group did not have the backing of the law, or that of government to engage in such activities.

Mr. Karma also disclosed that the police will not give the MASSOB any opportunity to operate in the state because they are breeding criminals who will go into kidnapping and armed robbery. He insisted that preventing the activities of the group is for the general good of the populace.

Speaking during his visit to the Police Area Command, Onitsha; Central Police Station, Inland Town Police Division, Fegge Divisional Police, all in Onitsha, the Police Commissioner said that over 50 members of MASSOB who were arrested  on Sunday  have been moved to Police Zonal Command Umuahia, popularly known as Zone 9 for proper questioning.

He said that 27 of them were arrested in a church in Okpoko where they allegedly held a Catholic priest hostage to pray for them, while 28 were arrested in Nnewi. He equally stated that his men are on the look out for more members of the group and that he would never rest on his oars until their activities are completely curtailed.