A new Commissioner of Police was appointed for Abia State today and he assumed office spiting fire.

The new CP, Mr. Anthony Ogbizi, took over from Mr Adeleye Oyebade after a brief handover ceremony at the command’s headquarters in Umuahia.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ogbizi, who took office as tension escalated in the wake of the military action targeted at members of the separatist Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), condemned last night’s razing of Ariaria Police Station in Aba by unknown persons.

Ogbizi warned against clamour for disintegration of the country, saying there would never be “a republic within a republic”.

Earlier, Oyebade thanked the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, for the opportunity to serve in the state.

The outgoing police commissioner urged men and officers of the command to give the new commissioner their maximum support and cooperation to enable him tackle crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery and child trafficking.