By: Emmanuel Nlewedum
The Nigerian Police Force and the Attorney General of Rivers State have been given 14 days to revisit all cases of police brutality in Rivers State and ensure all victims get justice.
The Coalition of Concerned Civil Society Organizations, CCCSO, in Rivers State gave the ultimatum while briefing Journalists in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Coordinator of the group, Amaechi Kelechi Justin regretted that cases of police brutality and violation of human rights in the state especially the case of the Ikokwu5 are being politicised.
Recall that 2019, Chima Ikwunado, an auto mechanic at Ikokwu market was confirmed dead at the Mile one police station and other 4 suspects arrested with him confirmed that he was tortured to death and gracious bodily wounds on their bodies also corroborate the assertion that they were also tortured but narrowly escaped death.
Also, September 2020, Twenty-year-old Chibuike Daniel Dominic, aka Sleek, a musician, was allegedly shot dead while waiting for a car outside a hotel along Elelewo axis of Obi-Akpor Local Government Area of the state by police operatives among others.
Amaechi stated that the CCCSO is determined to defend and promote right of citizens and also ensure there is reduction in human right abuse in the State.
“We the members of the Coalition of Concerned Civil Society Organizations in Rivers State in collaboration with our partners, Stakeholder Democracy Network, (SDN), UK Aid and Rivers Civil Society Organizations (RIVCSO) are profoundly worried about the perennial cases of police murder and police brutality in Nigeria, particularly the gruesome murder of Chima Ikwunado, Chibuike Daniel Ikeagwuchi (aka Sleek) W/Sgt Lovender Elekwachi, Gospel Gbaraka and the keke driver in Rukpokwu town, including the vicious torture of Victor Ogbonna, Osaze Friday, Ifeanyi Osuji and Ifeanyi Onyekwere in Rivers State”.
He stressed that the exclusion of the E-Crack commander, SP Benson Abisoye and the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), in charge of the Ikokwu5, Nnodim Amadi for prosecution, was in total disregard for the rule of law.
“The Coalition of Concerned Civil Society Organizations in Rivers State is also perturbed by the unconscionable manner in which the relevant government institutions are handling such important matters with political consideration.
“The community of organized civil society actors, enlightened legal and media advocates are aware that the Anti-Torture Act passed in 2017 as a law of the federal republic of Nigeria prohibits torture, penalizes torture with term of 25 years imprisonment and section 7(4) of the said Act stipulates that ‘the immediate commanding officer of the unit concerned of the security or law enforcement agencies is held reliable as an accessory to to the crime for any act of omission or negligence on his part that may have led to the commission of torture by his subordinates.
“Our coalition asserts that the Nigeria Police, the Attorney General of Rivers State and the prosecution team have done a great disservice to humanity by turning a blind eye to atrocities committed and the whole truth focusing on the 4 suspects out of six persons involved in the torture as though superior police officers are above the law”.
The group called on the Police and the Attorney General of Rivers State to ensure the Commander of the E-Crack team and the Investigating Police Officer are prosecuted according to the law.
“The position of our coalition is that there is inequality in the administration of Justice in Nigeria and that redress/justice is incomplete if all suspects involved in the torture are not prosecuted.
“We hereby call on the Attorney General of Rivers State, the Nigeria Police and the prosecuting team to act swiftly in revisiting the case file and section 7(4) of the Anti-Torture Act, 2017 in order to determine the right actions to take, to prosecute SP Benson Abisoye and the Investigating Police Officer, Nnodim Amadi to ensure respect for the laws of the federal republic of Nigeria and to win the trust of the people.
“Our coalition of human rights advocates and defenders gives the Attorney General of Rivers State and other relevant authorities a 14 ultimatum to open up prosecution of SP Benson Abisoye and the IPO to avoid a second wave of multiple escalation of this matter both nationally and internationally”.
The group however expressed disappointment over the exclusion of the shootings by the military at Oyigbo by the Judicial Panel of Enquiry into police brutality in the State.
