Anambra police killings: Groups call for justice

• Panel begins investigations, calls for credible facts
• Police promises to reorganise state RRS

Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) and Anambra State Police Stakeholders Partnership Forum (PSPF) have called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, not to spare officers of Anambra State police Command, who were accused of misdemeanour.

The officers were accused of being part of deadly criminal ring that allegedly engages in illegal detention, kidnapping, extrajudicial killing and human organ harvesting and trade.

In a statement, yesterday, the Executive Director of RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, and Coordinator of PSPF, Chris Azor, commended the IGP for his timely intervention in the matter by setting up a special panel to investigate the allegations at the end of which a report is expected to be issued.

The statement reads: “We call on the IGP to ensure the accused police officers do not find their way back to their former beats, pending conclusion of investigation. They are quoted to have boasted that ‘power pass power,’ after their curious release from custody at the Force Headquarters (FHQ), Abuja.”

MEANWHILE, the Special Investigation Panel probing allegations of extra-judicial killings, extortion, unprofessionalism, and highhandedness against police officers of Anambra State Police Command of Zone 13, Ukpo-Dunukofia, has commenced full-scale investigation.

According to the state police Spokesman, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, investigators have moved to scenes and sites for on-the-spot-assessment.

He said: “The team has, however, been tasked to harness all available means and spread its tentacles towards ensuring all information received through the public is properly examined to assist investigations, subsequent report of findings, and recommendations.

“The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) wishes to disabuse the minds of well-meaning members of the public, and interested stakeholders that the panel, comprising respected and thoroughbred officers, shall discharge its responsibility professionally and ensure justice.

“The NPF also reassures that the Anambra Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, will definitely be reorganised and sanitised to suit present ideologies and administrative styles of the force leadership in conformity with international best practices”.

This sanitisation will be equally extended to other tactical squads across the NPF.

“Furthermore, it is imperative to clear the air that the officers fingered in the trending allegation were never arrested or detained.

“They were summoned to the Force Headquarters for interrogation to have a clue on the trending allegations. Due to denial of the allegations raised by a blogger, the IGP then set in motion the process for diligent investigations.”