The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar has been enjoined to redeploy CSP Egbo, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Egbema Police Station in Imo State.
A group, Youths Against Human Rights And Corrupt Practices (YAHVCP) made the call in a passionate letter sent to the IGP, calling for the removal of the DPO.
The group levelled series of allegations against the DPO and some of the policemen under him ranging from extortions to abuse of citizens rights.
The letter signed by the group’s National Coordinator, Kenneth Uwadi and Media Director, Amaka Didanda reads in full:
“The Youths Against Human Rights And Corrupt Practices (YAHVCP) is demanding for the removal of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Egbema Police Station CSP Egbo from Egbema. Egbema is in Ohaji/Egbema LGA in Imo State of Nigeria.
“Egbo is notorious for raiding junctions, streets, compounds, shops, businesses and markets in Egbema for indiscriminate arrest and illegal detention of Egbema youths in order to forcefully extort money from them. At least 50 youths are arrested daily in Egbema by the DPO and his men and detained in the station in the community.
“Any of the captives whose parents or friends are able to pay some outrageous amount of money, in most cases as high as N30,000, are released, while those that cannot bail themselves out usually find their way to prison on false criminal charges.
“The residents of the community have petitioned the police authorities in the community and at Owerri State command for an immediate end to illegal police raids and extortions several times, to no avail. YAHVCP members have campaigned against this police brutality in Egbema to no avail. Since Egbo came in as Egbema police boss the serene atmosphere in the 13 communities in Egbema has been shattered with an upsurge in cult related killings that have turned the once lovely communities into a theatre of war. According to our exclusive investigation the cultists spreading across different types now kill, maim and destroy at will. Over 30 young men have been cut down in their prime including a young man known as Mento from Umuorji-Egbema.Deaths have been reported in Abacheke, Obiakpu, Mgbara, Etekwuru and Umuorji.
“The brazen extortion of motorists and okada riders by the police under Egbo at check points near Mmahu is a daily fact. The National Coordinator of YAHVCP Mr Kenneth Uwadi was once humiliated when he was stopped at one of the check points and was asked to pay 5000 as bribe for his driving license which expired just for a day and when he refused one of the policemen barked at him and threatened to hit him, shouting ” You may report us to the commissioner of police or to Governor Okorocha, we don’t care… get out! Stupid -man. I can shoot you now”.
“There is widespread public resentment and loss of trust in Egbo . YAHVCP is also not happy with the harassment ,intimidation ,false and malicious prosecution of the Ezeali of Enyi village Chief Vitus U . Nwokeukwu by CSP Egbo. Chief Nwokeukwu, 79 years old, was falsely accused by his kinsman Mr Celestine Aligbua who reported that Nwokeukwu called him on phone threatening his life. CSP Egbo did not investigate the matter but detained the 79 years old chief without food nor water in a dark police cell for 18 hours. He was not allow to call his wife.
“His phone was confiscated, his pairs of leather slippers were confiscated and his recommended glasses. After detaining him for eighteen hours and asking for a bail fee of 30,000 which the Chief could only afford 5000 naira .He was charged to court without police investigation of even MTN call log.
“Chief Nwokeukwu thought the 30,000 naira bail fee was a rude joke. Those who came to bail him went and complained to the DPO CSP Egbo but to their chagrin, the DPO told them that ‘bail is not free’ . Since Chief Nwokeukwu could not afford 30,000 naira bail money a corporal at the counter ordered him to take off his shirt , Incredible! He shouted.
“He was woken up from his slumber when a junior officer shoved him and marched him into the dark cell, laughing at his skinny chest and taunting him that he do not even have a potbelly with his status as a Chief/Ezeali. Saying,” Even Joseph went to the prison too,” and telling him to take heart .
“YAHVCP is shock at the level of corruption and abuse of citizens’ rights by a senior officer of the level of a DPO. We are saying that CSP Egbo is definitely the bad influence on other junior personnel under him.
“That a DPO could say openly that ‘bail is not free’ and descends to the level of assaulting and denying an innocent suspect bail because his relatives refused to offer bribe tells so much of the character of the officer. He is definitely one of the officers in the police that constitute a bad example to the rank and file and who gives the police a bad image.
“There is no doubt that such a DPO does not deserve to spend one more day in Egbema. YAHVCP is calling for his removal as DPO of Egbema police station”.
