On Wednesday, the Police Service Commission, PSC, warned that it would no longer tolerate the prevailing notoriety in the conduct of officers and men of the 13th Zonal Command of the Nigeria Police Force in Ukpo, Anambra state.
The zonal command, which covers Anambra and Enugu states, has been notorious for extortion, bribery, and corruption, as several reports and petitions obtained have shown.
In a statement, Ikechukwu Ani, the Head of the PSC Press and Public Relations Department, said the Commission is disturbed that the Zone has continued to engage in Police misconduct even in the face of several warnings that Police Officers should avoid civil matters such as land, marital, and rent disputes.
He said the Commission received a petition addressed to its Chairman, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd mni, captioned “Complaints of Disregard to Judicial Process: Abuse of Power; Intimidation and Harassment against Inspector James of Zone13, Nigeria Police Force, Ukpo Command by the Members of Umu Ukwueze Family, Umudikwu, Ihe Nsukka from Agbo & Agbo & Associates and signed by C.S Agbo Esq of Divine Chambers .”
The petitioner’s lawyer, Barr Agbo, said Mr. Jude Onah broke into part of the family’s land and erected a perimeter fence using bricklayers and other labourers.
He noted that all efforts to get the intruder to hand over the land proved abortive. Still, surprisingly, his clients and property owners 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 was meant to persecute them.
“We then filed a motion for the enforcement of the fundamental rights of our clients. The said motion was promptly served on the respondents.
“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 an injunction to restrain the Police from further harassing our clients pending the hearing and determination of the main motion,” he said.
The legal practitioner noted that the most worrisome aspect was that about three days ago, the same Inspector James started calling the lawyer he sent to secure their clients’ bail, asking him to ensure that the clients come to his office and threatening to come down to Nsukka and carryout massive arrests.
The lawyer complained that his clients were extorted at different times by N200,000 and N150,000 during this period.
According to the PSC spokesperson, Ani, the Commission finds this development shameful, adding that all the Officers involved in this serious act of misconduct would face the Commission’s disciplinary action.
He said the Chairman of the Commission, retired DIG Argungu, has vowed not to rest until he purges the South East of human rights abuses, especially in the illegal handling of civil matters.
He warned that the Police should avoid this and allow the courts to do their job.
