The police in Anambra State have spoken on the allegation that some police operatives, who did not wear uniforms, broke into a private residence and extorted N1 million from a resident in the state.
How it started
A human rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, said some “unidentified men” broke into a private residence in Awka ostensibly to arrest a male resident.
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Mr Gwamnishu said the unidentified men later claimed to be operatives from the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Anambra State Police Command before arresting the male resident on the allegation of being a cultist without presenting evidence or a warrant of arrest.
“What followed was even worse: After threats and intimidation, they extorted N1 million from him as ‘bail’ and warned that if he spoke out, they would ensure he was sent to jail,” the activist said.
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He uploaded a video clip to his Facebook page showing the operatives attempting to enter the apartment through a window.
The clip also showed a screenshot of a bank transaction receipt indicating that N1 million was transferred to another bank account holder (name withheld).
The transaction receipt showed the incident happened at about 1:27 p.m. on 9 August.
“This is not policing. This is abuse. This is criminality under the cover of the law,” he stated, adding that such incidents destroy the reputation of the Nigerian police.
Mr Gwamnishu asked police authorities to investigate the incident, sack erring operatives and reform the police immediately.
Police speak
Reacting in a statement on Tuesday night, the police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, dismissed the allegations as “handiwork of mischief makers.”
Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, claimed the video clip was “deliberately recorded and shared with bloggers in an attempt to evade justice.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, state intelligence operatives of the Command, acting on credible intelligence, raided a compound at Ifite, Awka, where suspected internet fraudsters and cult members were reportedly operating.
“Upon sighting the operatives, the suspects resisted arrest, locked themselves inside, and refused entry, even after the operatives had properly identified themselves, as requested by the suspects,” he narrated.
The spokesperson claimed the suspects were served arraignment notices and later granted bail to allow operatives to complete their court filings.
“This was in compliance with the legal requirement of not keeping suspects in custody beyond 48 hours without arraignment,” he said.
Mr Ikenga identified the suspects scheduled for arraignment over the allegation of Internet fraud and cultism as Chiemerie Chukwuma, Makuochukwu Ikegwuonu, Okeke Uzochukwu, and Uchendu Precious Ikenna,
Others are Mmaduachi Emmanuel, Arinze Duruma, Ugochukwu Israel and Emmanuel Chimuanya.
N1 million for bail?
Mr Ikenga said the police in Anambra State would investigate the allegation that the operatives extorted N1 million from one suspect.
“However, any complainant with credible evidence to aid the inquiries is advised to come forward with such proof,” he stated.
The spokesperson said police authorities in the state had reiterated their commitment to professionalism, transparency, and due process in all their operations.
“The command hereby warns individuals and groups who attempt to mislead the public or obstruct law enforcement that they will face the weight of the law,” he said.
Not the first time
Cases of police brutality, extortion and other unprofessional activities in Nigeria have continued despite sanctions by police authorities, such as dismissal from service.
The latest incident happened barely two months after the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Ikioye Orutugu, ordered the detention of three inspectors for extorting a man.
In February, police authorities in Abia State dismissed three officers for allegedly engaging in abduction and extortion.
Within the same month, police authorities in Imo State launched an investigation into the alleged extortion and assault of a couple by operatives in the state.
The Imo extortion incident occurred less than one week after police authorities began interrogation of officers who were filmed assaulting a man in Abia State.
In October, last year, police in Ebonyi began an orderly room trial of officers filmed extorting motorists in the state.
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Within the same period, the police in Imo State began another orderly room trial of four officers seen in a viral video clip extorting motorists in the state.
About three months earlier, police operatives in Bayelsa State extorted N3 million from a Nigerian man at gunpoint.
The officers were subsequently arrested after the victim petitioned police authorities.
The police operatives later returned the N3 million to the victim, about three weeks later.
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