The Force Headquarters has ordered the arrest of 190 riot policemen who allegedly absconded from training at the Special Forces School, Buni-Yadi, Yobe State.

The fleeing policemen were part of the 2,000 officers sent to the school three weeks ago for training ahead of their deployment in the North-East to join forces with the military in combating Boko Haram insurgency in the area.

According to the police, the deployment of the policemen was in line with Section 4 of the Police Act and Regulations which allows them to perform military duties both within and outside the country as may be required of them.

The cops were believed to have escaped from the SFS because they did not want to participate in the counter-insurgency operations.

Findings indicated that the policemen were drawn from MOPOL 2 in Keffi, MOPOL  3 in Enugu, MOPOL  5 in Benin, MOPOL  8 in Jos, MOPOL  11 in Calabar and MOPOL  16 in Abeokuta.

Others were from MOPOL 17 (Akure), MOPOL  18 (Owerri), MOPOL  19 (Port Harcourt), MOPOL  20/22  (Ikeja), MOPOL  23  (Lagos Island), MOPOL  26   (Uyo), MOPOL   28 (Umuahia), MOPOL  30   (Yenagoa) MOPOL 31 (Asaba), MOPOL  32 (Abakaliki), MOPOL  35 (Dutse), MOPOL  39 (Ogbomoso), MOPOL  43 (Lion Building), MOPOL  50 (Kubwa), MOPOL  51 (Oghara), MOPOL 54 (Onitsha) and MOPOL 56 (Ogoni).

A police wireless message with reference DTO:241610/12/2018 signed by the Commissioner of Police in charge MOPOL sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday directed that the fleeing policemen should be arrested and produced under escort.

CEOAfrica learnt that over 120 of the absconding officers included Sergeants and Inspectors.

Jimoh Moshood, the Force Public Relations Officer could not be reached for comments on the development as he did not respond to calls and a text message sent to him by our correspondent.

Moshood had disclosed that the force had on the ground 47 PMF units in Borno, 26 units in Yobe and 18 units in Adamawa in addition to the regular PMF Squadrons in the three states.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiqque Abubakar, has said a Quick Response Unit of the air force will soon be established in Sokoto to support Operation Diramikiya in the North-West.

Abubakar made the disclosure when he visited the Zamfara State acting Governor, Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji, at Government House in Gusau on Wednesday.

He said he was in the state to assess the condition of the air force personnel in areas under attacks from gangsters.

The CAS commended the state government and the residents of the state for the support given to security agencies in the fight against insurgency, especially on intelligence gathering.

Rikiji, who is also the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, lauded Abubakar for the visit.