Five men have been arrested by the police in Imo State, Nigeria’s South-east, for allegedly assaulting a woman who aided a police investigation.
The police, on 4 November, said the 55-year-old woman, Ndidiamaka Agu, was allegedly assaulted by the suspects at Emekuku, near Owerri, the Imo State capital.
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A video clip of the incident shows some men beating and kicking Mrs Agu, while another woman who disapproved of the assault filmed it from another building.
At some point, the men threatened to attack the woman who was recording the incident.
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The police had said the suspects allegedly assaulted the woman because she cooperated with police officers in an investigation.
Justice for the woman
Providing an update on the incident on Monday, the police spokesperson in the state, Henry Okoye, confirmed the arrest of five suspects linked to the assault.
In a statement on Monday, Mr Okoye, a deputy superintendent of police, stated that operatives of the X-Squad unit of the police in Imo arrested the five suspects.
The police spokesperson identified the suspects as Onyekachi Njoku, 40; Chiazor Osuji, 45; Chukwuma Iwuala, 46; Eugene Njoku; and Njoku Emmanuel, 35, all residents of Uboegbelu Community in Emekuku, Owerri North Local Government Area of the state.
He did not, however, mention when the suspects were arrested.
“All five suspects have made confessional statements admitting their roles in the attack.
“Meanwhile, the sixth suspect, identified as Onyedikachi Njoku, is still at large, and operatives are intensifying efforts to apprehend him,” the police said.
Mr Okoye said the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Aboki Danjuma, condemned the assault and reaffirmed that intimidation of citizens who “lawfully cooperate” with the police will not be tolerated.
The police spokesperson said the arrested suspects will be arraigned in court as soon as possible.
Prohibited in Nigeria
Assault is outlawed in Section 252 of Nigeria’s Criminal Code Act. Offenders are liable to one year imprisonment upon conviction, according to Section 351 of the Act.
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Assault involving harm is considered a serious one in Section 355 of the Act and attracts a three-year jail term upon conviction.
Similarly, Section 356 of the Act prescribes a three-year term for persons convicted of assault involving, but not limited to, preventing their arrest or detention by the police or of any other person.
