The Rule of Law and Accountability
Advocacy Centre and Anambra State Police Stakeholders Partnership Forum have said they are following with keen interest the shocking revelations trending on the social media about the existence of a criminal ring, comprising some police officers and others allegedly involved in illegal detention, kidnapping, extrajudicial killings and human organ harvesting and trading in Anambra State.
The groups in a petition to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, called for the total overhauling of all police units in the state, while the officers responsible in the allegations of corruption, human rights violations and extrajudicial killings be investigated and brought to account.
The petition was signed by the Executive Director, RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma and Coordinator, PSPF, Prince Azor and made available to our correspondent in Awka on Tuesday.
The groups also commended the police boss for setting up the special investigation panel to investigate the allegations of the extrajudicial killings, saying that a report is expected to be issued at the end of the exercise.
They stressed that this investigation must not be swept under the carpet as the whole world is watching with keen interest.
The groups further warned that the accused police officers should not find their way back to their former beats pending the conclusion of investigation.
They also alleged that the indicted officers had boasted that “power pass power” after their curious release from custody at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The groups also commended the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo’s directive to the Attorney-General of the state to call for and review all case files with allegations of human rights abuses handled by Police Zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo, and the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu.
They said, “Those accused of being part of the deadly criminal ring are a Chief Superintendent of Police Patrick Chukwuemeka Agbazue, who is a former O/C SARS, Awkuzu and currently the Commander of the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu; a Superintendent of Police, Princess Nwode Nkeiruka, who is a former Police Public Relations Officers, Anambra State Police Command and currently the PPRO for Zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo; and Inspector Harrison Akama, also attached to the RRS, Awkuzu, Anambra State, among others.
“They are reported to be notorious for the serial criminal acts of killing accused persons in their custody and then taking over their money and property.”
The groups also called on Soludo to implement the recommendations in the report of the Anambra State #EndSARS Panel submitted to his office since March 2022.
The statement read, “The time has come for a thorough overhauling of many police units that continue to be run by criminally-minded police officers the same ways that the disbanded SARS were run which over time, built up public anger and precipitated the #EndSARS rebellion, the aftermath of which has continued to hunt the Nigeria Police and the country in general.
“We call on the IGP to ensure an overhaul of all police units that continue to discredit the police and continually keep the institution on negative spotlight. All police officers responsible for corruption and human rights violations should be investigated and brought to account.
“In particular, the IGP is called upon to ensure that there is no cover up of any sort or shielding of any police officer or anyone whatsoever found involved in the alleged criminal acts and human rights violations by police officers at Zone 13, Ukpo and the State CID Annex, Awkuzu, Anambra State.
“We also call on Soludo to ensure that appropriate government agencies monitor the situation closely and ensure that justice is done if anybody was found culpable.”
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