A mob of angry youths in the Mbukpa neighbourhood of Calabar South LGA of Cross River State on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, invaded the divisional police station on Mbukpa Road over alleged police brutality that led to the killing of a young man by officers from the station.
Pius Akpan, who witnessed the incident near a petrol station on Mbukpa road at the weekend, told Daily Post the victim was kicked and hit severally with gun butt by a team of policemen.
“He was beaten black and blue and eventually they shot him to death,” said Akpan who claimed no one is aware of the offence committed by the yet-to-be-identified victim.
A youth leader in the area, Effiom Effiom said the Mbukpa Police Station had called for reinforcement when it became obvious that trouble was brewing as the number of angry youths around the station increased.
The reinforcements, arriving in the nick of time, repelled the angry youths and barricaded the station.
Cross River State Police PRO, Irene Ugbo could not be reached for comments due to poor network signals.
Jigawa: Police Station Chief Slumps, Dies In Office
Abubakar Musa, the Divisional Police Officer of Jahun Local Government Area, Jigawa State, has slumped and died in his office.
Lawan Shiisu Adamu, the spokesman of the State police command, confirmed the death in a statement issued to journalists on Saturday, January 28, 2023.
He said the incident happened on Friday night around 9:00 pm in the DPO’s Jahun Division office after a protracted illness.
According to him, “SP. Abubakar Musa died yesterday around 9:00pm while closing from his official duty.”
He explained that the deceased was rushed to the Jahun General Hospital and Rashid Shekoni General Hospital and was later moved to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital where he was confirmed dead.
Emmanuel Ekot Effiom, the state commissioner of Police, consoled the deceased’s family and the Nigeria Police Force.
Apostle Suleman: DPO Removed As Suspect Is Killed In Custody
Abutu Yaro, the commissioner of police in Edo State, has ordered the withdrawal of the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of the Auchi Police Station, Ayodele Suleiman, over the death of one of the suspects who attacked the convoy of a popular Nigerian cleric, Apostle Johnson Suleman.
The police spokesperson in the state, Jennifer Iwegbu disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, October 22, 2022.
Suleman was attacked on Friday around Auchi area of Edo State, South-south Nigeria, while the cleric was heading to an unidentified location, hours after returning from a trip to Tanzania.
The cleric in a video clip posted on his verified Twitter handle on Friday, October 21, 2022, said seven people, including three police officers were killed in the attack.
“As part of the measures of the command concerning the circumstances that led to the death of the surviving members of the monstrous gang that attacked the convoy of Apostle Johnson Suleman, the outgoing Commissioner of police AIG Abutu Yaro has ordered withdrawal of the DPO of Auchi (Police Station),” the police spokesperson, Ms Iwegbu, said in the statement.
Ms Iwegbu, an assistant superintendent of police, said the DPO’s withdrawal was with immediate effect and that he would be interrogated at the police headquarters over the incident.
Allegation of foul play
The withdrawal of the DPO comes hours after Mr Suleman accused the police of foul play, claiming the gunman was hurriedly killed in order to blur their identities and frustrate investigation.
The police had claimed the attackers were kidnappers and that one of the gunmen was killed during a shoot-out with police operatives.
But the cleric insisted that they were not kidnappers, but assassins.
“Lie…They (gunmen) weren’t kidnappers… He was caught and handed over and the police killed him immediately…Why?” Mr Suleman said in another tweet in response to the claim by the police.
“Why killing him on the spot? Who is trying to cover up traces?”
DPO Assaults Pregnant Woman In Rivers
A pregnant woman known as Mrs. Vivian Charles has alleged that she was physically assaulted by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of Elelewon Police Division, in Obio/Akpor Local Council, while she was at the station to bail her relative.
The lady told journalists that she went to the station in the company of her husband on Monday to enquire why her uncle was arrested last week Friday when the incident occurred.
She said on getting to the station to at least interface with her uncle and the Investigating Police Officer, IPO, they were informed that the DPO requested to see parties in the case in his office.
“On getting to the DPO’s office, I did not know what the complainant had told the DPO earlier as he started shouting at me.
“While the DPO was shouting, I tried to put the record straight only for the DPO to rise from his seat and slap me in the presence of my husband,” she added.
The pregnant woman said she was tempted to retaliate, but her husband held her, adding that her uncle who had issues with the complainant was later given bail of a huge sum of money.
The lady, however, called on International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, human rights, and Civil society organisations to come to her aid and ensure that justice was done on the matter, adding that the alleged action of the DPO does not befit his position as a senior police official and bear the good image of the Force.
Contacted, the spokesperson for Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said that the DPO denied assaulting or slapping anybody, but assured to get to the root of the matter.
Source: Daily Post
