My kids are suffering, says sergeant sacked over rifle

http://newtelegraphonline.com/kids-suffering-says-sergeant-sacked-rifle/

A police sergeant, dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force after a gang of armed robbers attacked him and his team, disappearing with his rifle, is now begging the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase, to reinstate him and save his kids from starvation. 

The policeman, Mfon Ette, from Akwa Ibom State, said since his dismissal, his children and aged parents had been suffering. Ette has been out of job now for over 11 years.
He described the past years as “untold hardship and misery.” Ette said that on September 10, 2005, he was on duty with six of his colleagues at Mgbemena Junction, Awada Onitsha, Anambra State, about 7:45 pm, when they were attacked by a gang of armed men. The policemen would later say they believed their attackers were members of MASSOB and not robbers as earlier feared.
“The men were about 25 in numbers. It was in the attack I lost my official AK47 rifle, number KO357778. After the incident, I reported the matter to our most superior officer, Admin. I was defaulted and detained for six months at the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID),” said Ette.
The sergeant was subsequently tried and dismissed. During his trial however, the Provost of the Anambra State Police Command suggested that Ette should be demoted to a corporal until the rifle was found. But nobody listened to the Provost. Ette said that he enlisted into the NPF on May 1980 with Force number 31044. He was promoted to the rank of a sergeant in 1990 and later posted to 29 Squadron Police Mobile Force, Awka to serve.
A joint Police Task Force of Anambra State, while on patrol, recovered the said rifle from hoodlums during a clash on August 22, 2005. Recalling events leading to the loss of his rifle, Ette said: “In the encounter with the MASSOB members, one of my colleagues, Corporal Ifyeinth Enyikpo was shot at the lower part of his left eyelid, while I lost my rifle.
The Provost suggested that I should be demoted from the rank of a sergeant to corporal, pending the recovery of the rifle. But suddenly, the second in command (2i/c), Supol Good Luck (SP) called me to his office and said the Provost from Mopol 29 should come to collect my uniform. I was dismissed. Supol Bukar SP, who was the officer of the joint team, told our Admin officer about the issue. No signal was given to me.”
He felt the recovery of his rifle was fortunate, thinking it would mean his reinstatement. But he was disappointed. Ette said: “The rifle was recovered in August 2006. The rifle is now in the custody of the 302 Arty Regt Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery, Onitsha.” He noted that since his dismissal, he had gone through untold hardship.
He added: “I have no other source of income except my police job and I have not been engaged in any other employment up till now. I, my children, aged parents and other dependents, have suffered. It’s on this ground that I plead that justice should be tampered with mercy in my case. My passion for the job is still intact. I plead to be allowed back to service.”