The Police Service Commission has warned that it will no longer tolerate the prevailing notoriety in the conduct of Officers and Men of the Zone 13 Police Headquarters in Ukpo, Anambra state.
The Commission, in a statement issued by Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations, Wednesday, March 5, is disturbed that the Zone has continued to engage in Police misconduct even in the face of several warnings that Police Officers should stay away from civil matters such as land, marital and rent disputes.
The Commission is in receipt of a petition addressed to its Chairman, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd mni, captioned “Complaints of Disregard to Judicial Process: Abuse of Power; Intimidation and Harrasment against Inspector James of Zone13, Nigeria Police Force, Ukpo Command by the Members of Umu Ukwueze Family, Umudikwu, Ihe Nsukka from from Agbo & Agbo & Associates and signed by C.S Agbo Esq of Divine Chambers .
The Petitioner said one Mr. Jude Onah broke into a part of their family land and started erecting a perimeter fence using brick layers and other labourers. He noted that all efforts to get the said intruder to hands off the land proved abortive but surprisingly his clients and owners of the property were whisked away to Zone 13 Ukpo without the knowledge of family members.
“When our clients saw the handwriting on the wall, they instructed us to challenge their arrest in the first place as it became clear to them that the whole game is meant to persecute them” “We then filed motion for the enforcement of the fundamental rights of our clients….the said motion was promptly served on the respondents. The lawyer in the Petition said despite the service of the motion for fundamental rights on Inspector James and subsequent arrest of Mr. Amaechi Ezeugwu, the said Inspector continued with threats on our clients for more arrests. ” We filed a motion for injunction to restrain the Police for further harassing our clients pending the hearing and determination of the main motion.”
He said the most worrisome aspect “is that about three days ago the same Inspector James started calling the lawyer we sent to secure our clients bail asking him to ensure that our clients come to his office……threatening to come down to Nsukka and carryout massive arrest ”
The lawyer complained that during this period his clients had been extorted to the tune of N200,000 and N150,000 respectively.”
The Commission finds this development shameful and notes that all the Officers involved in this serious act of misconduct would face the Commission’s disciplinary action.
The Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd, said he would not rest until he purges the South East of human rights abuses especially in the illegal handling of civil matters especially land disputes.
He warned that the Police should stay away from this and allow the courts to do their job.
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