The police in Enugu State, Nigeria’s South-east, have refuted allegations that officers attached to the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit unlawfully arrest, and detain young people and consequently kill them without trial.
The police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, stated this in a statement on Monday night.
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Alleged unlawful detention, killings in South-east
An unidentified man in a video clip circulating on social media had claimed that police officers serving at SWAT unit in Enugu State have been unlawfully arresting, detaining and killing youths in the South-eastern state.
The man, in the now-viral clip, stressed that it is better to be abducted by kidnappers who would release their victims upon ransom payment than police officers from SWAT unit who would kill their victims instead.
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He claimed that parents of detainees who visit the SWAT unit would be intentionally misinformed by officers that their children were not in their custody.
“After three or four months, you hear that the person died in their custody. And they (officers) would say that the person was a suspect,” he claimed.
“If the person is a suspect, take him to court then. But you have to kill your suspect without any law (backing it).”
The man challenged police authorities to arraign him for trial if he had lied or allow Nigerians to intervene in the matter.
SWAT is a police unit which replaced the Special Anti-Robbery Squad which was disbanded in 2020 following widespread nationwide protests against officers from the unit accused of brutality, extortion, and extrajudicial killings.
‘It’s misleading,’ police react
In the Monday statement, Mr Ndukwe, a superintendent of police, described the allegation as false.
“The (Enugu State Police) Command categorically states that no such incident has occurred in any of its units,” he said.
The spokesperson said police authorities in the state were aware of the viral video clip and that police preliminary findings indicate that the allegations in the clip by the unidentified man were misleading.
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“Preliminary findings indicate that the video is misleading, unverified, and deliberately intended to misinform the public and undermine confidence in the police.
“The (Enugu State Police) Command reiterates that all suspects in custody are treated in accordance with the law and with due respect for their fundamental human rights, with no record of extrajudicial killing or unlawful detention as alleged,” he said.
Mr Ndukwe said the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Bitrus Giwa, urged residents of the state to disregard the video and refrain from sharing unverified content capable of inciting fear or eroding trust in law enforcement agencies.
Mr Giwa advised Nigerians to rely on official police communication channels for accurate information.
The commissioner stressed that the police in the state were committed to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.
The police chief assured the residents of their continued dedication to the protection of lives and property.
