By Obinna Nwaoku
Policemen in Rivers State have arrested and detained four of their colleagues, who allegedly extorted N6.5 million from three persons along Sani Abacha road in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) axis of the state.
The Guardian learnt that the officers picked the three victims from Port Harcourt and conveyed them to Delta State where they allegedly extorted the sum of N6.5 million after detaining them for two days.
It was also learnt that the police officers arrested the men on July 31, and released them on August 1, after successfully collecting the said money.
Briefing newsmen, yesterday, at the Police headquarters, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, the Commissioner of Police (CP), Nwonyi Emeka, said the police in the state were working seriously to rid the command of bad eggs.
He assured that he would stop at nothing to bring crime to a standstill in record time, while calling on members of the public to join the police in ridding the state of crimes and criminality.
He said: “You can see some police officers, they have been in detention for more than two weeks now for an offence. They are not from this command, but we arrested them to show that we are here to purge ourselves. I don’t think any organisation has been more purgative than the police in cleaning up the bad eggs in their system.
“Once again, I want to assure you that we will fight crime to a standstill to the best of our ability.” The CP also disclosed that the arrested officers allegedly assaulted a lady around Arcania junction, Ada George road on Sunday, while on a stop and search operation.
He said upon receipt of a complaint of the assault, his men swung into action and rounded up the accused officers, adding that an investigation had been launched to unravel what transpired. He, however, called on the lady that was allegedly assaulted to come forward and furnish the police her side of the story.
“On Sunday, September 3, at about 10.20 a.m., based on complaint of unprofessional conduct and incivility to members of the public on social media by officers of the Nigerian Police force, Rivers State Command, where a woman was allegedly assaulted by officers on stop and search duty at Arcania junction on Ada George, Port Harcourt.
“Upon receipt of the complain, the commander of the CP monitoring unit swung into action, and identified the officers as men of an anti-cultism unit on stop and search led by inspector Ahbar Emmanuel and three others, namely: Inspector Abgani Peter, Inspector Ozenewa Amadi and Sergeant Akuigbo Batholomeow. They have all been arrested and in custody, undergoing interrogation.
“Also, I am appealing to the lady that was assaulted to come to the command and give us her own side of the incident for proper investigation to be carried out, security is everyone’s business, curbing crime in our society is everybody’s responsibility,” he added.
The Guardian
