A Civil Rights group, Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN); has written to President Bola Tinubu and the Police Service Commission (PSC) alleging grave human rights violation by the Enugu State Police Command.
The Letter signed by CRRAN President, Olu Omotayo Esq, entitled: “Continuous grave human rights violations by the Police in Ebugu State,” appealed to Mr President to direct the PSC to investigate same.
It reads: “We write to you in respect of the continuous rights violations by the Police in Enugu State under Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu.
“We shall refer your Excellency to two recent grave rights violation within one month.
Re: Detention of a 16 year old innocent child at the State CID, Police Headquarters Enugu for 3 months on a trump up charge of rape.: it took the intervention of the media and the Governor of Enugu state to secure the release of the 16 year old after over three months of unlawful detention at the Police Headquarters Enugu, just because the parents of the child are poor and could not pay the N1.2 million demanded.
“The letter from the Office of the Governor of Enugu state informing our organization of the efforts made by His Excellency Peter Mbah Esq. the Governor of Enugu State in securing the release of the child from unlawful detention is attached herewith.
“The child an SS2 student in one of the secondary schools in the state, was unlawfully detained for over 3 months at the Police Headquarters Enugu from the 9th October 2023 to 12th January 2024, Since the release of the child from detention the parents have been taking him to hospital because of the deteriorating condition of his health.
“The teenager who was looking pale narrated to us how he was tortured while in detention by a policeman named Ifeanyi who used police baton to beat him all over his body joints in order to make him confess to what he did not do.
“The little Eze said his torture was supervised by the Officer in Charge (OC) D 18, State CID Enugu.”
The group further cited another abuse of the Police Powers, by “Unlawful Arrest and detention of innocent citizens in respect of a case earlier Investigated by AIG Zone 13, Anambra State and the defendant charged to court:”
According to Omotayo, the Commissioner of Police ordered arrest of innocent citizens in respect of a land matter that had been investigated at the Zonal Level and the defendant charged to Court.
“The same Complainant not satisfied that the Hon Attorney General of Enugu State took over the prosecution of the case, made fresh petition to the Commissioner of Police against the same defendant but only added the name of two of his friends and the former Commissioner for Lands in Enugu State Mr. Solomon Onah (popularly known as Jack Solo), as co-suspect.
“The question is when has it become the duty of the Commissioner of Police to determine ownership of land and also acted on petition to arrest the former Commissioner for Lands who signed the Allocation paper of Mr. Nwebor?
“This is a grave misuse of power of his office.”
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CRRAN stressed the need for Nigeria to move along with comity of decent nations of the world.
According to the group: “These human rights violations and any form of barbarity should never be allowed in this country under any guise whatsoever.
“The hallmark of democracy is the observance of the Rule of Law and respect for human rights.
“Every citizen of this country is entitled to get justice. Justice is not only for the rich and nobody, however rich he is should be allowed to pervert the course of Justice and subjugate the Rule of Law.
“Let the poor breathe. We, therefore, urge Mr President, to direct the Police Service Commission to investigate these human rights violations and constitutional breaches by the Commissioner of Police Enugu State, in the interest of justice and our great nation
