Pix;Commandant Geraldine Abetianbe

By Isiaka Mustapha, Editor-in-Chief, wit additional reports from Bassey Micheal in Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Commandant Geraldine Abetianbe, has reportedly been absent from official duties for the past week, a development that has sparked concern and speculation within security circles in the state.

Sources within the command disclosed that the commandant was last seen at the state headquarters on Monday. While the reason for her absence could not be independently confirmed, sources linked the development to reports of an arrest warrant allegedly issued by an Akwa Ibom State High Court in connection with an ongoing legal matter involving the commandant.

Details of the court proceedings and the status of the reported warrant were not immediately available as of the time of filing this report. Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the police, the court, and other relevant authorities were unsuccessful.

Sources familiar with security operations in the state alleged that the commandant’s relationship with some sister security agencies has been strained in recent months, a situation they claimed has affected inter-agency cooperation. However, no security agency has publicly commented on the allegations, and they could not be independently verified.

There were also claims of growing dissatisfaction among some personnel within the command over administrative decisions, including postings and operational deployments. According to sources, some of the postings generated controversy among officers. However, no documentary evidence was made available to substantiate the claims, while officers contacted for comments declined to speak on the matter.

The reported tensions are also said to have affected the command’s engagement with key stakeholders in the state. Nevertheless, there is no official record available to this publication confirming that any government process involving the commandant was disrupted or affected. Independent efforts to verify the claims are continuing.

As of press time, neither the Akwa Ibom State Command of the NSCDC nor the NSCDC National Headquarters had issued an official statement on the reported absence of the commandant, the alleged court proceedings, or the claims surrounding her administration. Repeated attempts to obtain comments from the command and other relevant authorities were unsuccessful.