Igbo group petition IGP, call for removal of Imo CP
A socio-cultural Organization in the South East under the agies of Aka Igbo has petitioned the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun calling for the removal of the Commissioner of Police in Imo State Aboki Danjuma.
The group in a petition dated 18th June 2024 which was signed by Nwankwo Obiora and Nwachukwu Ezeji Esq respectively alleged that the embattled Commissioner of Police has on several occasions on the orders of the Executive Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, been illegally arresting, detaining and torturing Appointees of the State Government immediately after his re-election for a second Term in Office in November, 2023.
The petition further accused the Commissioner of Police of his alleged involvement in human rights abuses, detention of people for over three months without trial in police custody.
The petition reads in part “It is sad to note that, rather than protect innocent lives and property of people of the state and checkmate the excesses and activities of members of the Easter Security Network (ESN) / Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) who have been killing men of the Force as well as soldiers, the C.P. who has turned himself to the Governor’s puppet, is busy detaining government appointees and APC members contrary to Section 4 of the Police Act.
“Sometime in November 2023, the Commissioner arrested one Hon. Noble Atulegwu, the former Commissioner for Lands in Imo State, on the orders of the Governor. While in custody, he took ill and was rushed to the police clinic.
“Surprisingly, the Commissioner ordered his squad of police officers whom he has been using to perpetrate evil at the police command to disconnect the drip placed on Hon. Atulegwu who was losing strength and he was bundled back to police cell. Upon being confronted, he proudly without regard to human life told people that he was executing the orders of the Governor, adding that he will soon be going on retirement so he needs money from the Governor.
” The Commissioner was further informed that the state of health of the former Commissioner of Lands had badly deteriorated and may subsequently die in police custody if he is not released for proper treatment. His response which leaves a bad taste in the mouth was that they should call the Governor and inform him, and that the Governor had specifically instructed that if the person dies the police should bring the corpse to him.
“It is pertinent to state that the conducts of the Commissioner of Police and the Executive Governor with regards to Hon. Atulegwu detention is in flagrant disregard of a valid order of court granted for his release having being incarcerated for over three months.
“In that same November, the former Commissioner for Housing, one Lady Love Ineh, a widow, was detained for two months before she was granted bail.The unlawful conduct of the Commissioner of Police is contrary to Sections 35 (1), 35 (6), 36 (1), and 41 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
“For the purpose of clarity and ease of reference, we shall state some provisos verbatim.S. 35 (1) states;“Every person shall be entitled to his personal liberty and no person shall be deprived of such liberty…”S, 35 (6) states;“Any person who is unlawfully arrested or detained shall be entitled to compensation and public apology from the appropriate authority or person.
”In May 2024, the former Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, one Chinasa Nwaneri was detained for three weeks by the Commissioner of Police on the orders of the Governor. As at the time of writing this petition, one Hon. Emmanuel Ezeanochie, the President of Traders Association in Imo State, is still in police custody for over two months following his arrest and same contrary to the provision of the 1999 Constitution which states that anyone arrested by the police must be brought before a court with 24 to 48 hours.
“The Commissioner’s conduct not only brings the name Nigeria Police Force to disrepute but is capable of causing the Force to pay compensation to the victims amounting to a waste of tax payers’ money. Most APC leaders are on the run due to fear of being arrested by the CP.It is sad to say the least that the Governor and the Commissioner of Police have unleashed this mayhem on members of the APC, and they seem to forget that these same members are the ones who will work for the re-election of Mr. President, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu come 2027.
“Though it was gathered from the grapevine, that the Executive Governor said he does not care after all he has gotten his own second term.It is our expectation that as a Commissioner of police, he has a duty to protect the properties belonging to the Nigeria Police Force in Imo State.
“Shockingly under his watch, the over 10 hectares of land along Port Harcourt Road where the Administration of the former Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha relocated the Police Headquarters has been taken over by Governor Hope Uzodimma. Meanwhile, the former governor had told the good people of Imo State that he expensed over N10,000,000,000.00 (Ten Billion Naira) in putting the infrastructures on that land which also housed Prisons Headquarters.
“But today, those infrastructures belonging to the Nigeria Police are being demolished by the state government under the guise that they want to convert the land given to the Nigeria police to build a housing estate.Thirdly, under the Commissioner’s watch, the guest house belonging to Deputy Commissioner of Police, in the vicinity of the Imo Sate Government House has been demolished and taken over by a top government official who is today erecting his personal residence on the land.
“We are using this opportunity to call the attention of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to investigate what happened to these police assets in Imo under the watch of Mr Aboki Danjuma. It is trite that the compulsory acquisition of these lands is not in compliance with the Land Use Act, which provides that revocation of Certificate of Occupancy is to be for public use and the action by the top government official is not for public but personal use.
“The Commissioner of Police has continued to exhibit conducts that are ultra vires his powers as provided for by the Police Act. In the light of the foregoing therefore, we hereby urge you sir to use your good office to ensure that the Commissioner of Police, Imo State is called to order, made to release all illegally detained appointees and redeployed from Imo State. He is not representing the image of the police properly due to his alleged selfish interest”.
