By Raphael Onyekachukwu
The corruption riddle police command, Enugu is in trouble for mass arrest of over fifty (50) prospective JAMB candidates and business center operators on Christmas eve as Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN) petitions chairman, Police Service Commission, demanding for probe.
The rights group also demands investigation into the increasing human rights abuse and unlawful detention that is now the order of the day at the State CID, Enugu, with a view to halt it and take appropriate disciplinary action against erring officers.
The petition titled: ‘unlawful mass arrest of prospective jamb candidates and business center operators. Appeal for your urgent intervention and their immediate release’ signed by the President of CRRAN, Olu Omotoya Eqs disclosed that worse still is the demand of N500,000 for their bail by the officer in-charge of D5 in collaboration with the 2nd in command to the AC state CID.
According to reports, on 23rd December, 2015 a team of policemen stormed JAMB accredited business centre registering prospective candidates, arrested over 50 students undergoing registration together with the center operators on allegation that they are unauthorized centre, even when the registration is taken place at the JAMB office compound.
“The detachment of police officers from the D5 Section, State CID, who invaded the premises around 12 noon of 23rd December 2015, claimed that the students are registering in unapproved business centers, over 50 candidates and around 10 business center owners were arrested and taken to the D5 Section of the State CID, Enugu.”
The rights activist however queries “how does an innocent candidate know that a business center is not approved by JAMB? Is this how we encourage the struggling young ones in Nigeria who are determined to acquire higher education?”
Narrating to newsmen the brazing impunity with which the state CID violate rights of residents of Enugu state without regard to the provisions of law disclosed that when one of the centre operators contacted him, he visited the D5 section of the SCID around 3pm same day when one of the business center owners named Stalwart Computers whose wife was also arrested came and showed me his Approval from JAMB.
“On reaching the office I met the officer in charge of the section (OC D5) explained to him and showed him Stalwart approved letter from JAMB. The officer looked at it, said it was ok but that he needed the receipt of payment to JAMB before he can release the wife of Stalwart. All explanations to him that you must have completed all payments before JAMB gives you approval letter fell on his deaf ears. I told him that because of Xmas there is heavy traffic in the city but he said once the receipt is produced he will release the woman.
“At about 4pm Stalwart ran to his office to bring the receipt and upon presentation to the officer, he said how will he know that Stalwart is the owner of the approval letter and receipt? Stalwart said he has identity card, the officer said he must produce his Corporate Affairs Registration Certificate to identify himself.”
“At about 4pm Stalwart ran to his office to bring the receipt and upon presentation to the officer, he said how will he know that Stalwart is the owner of the approval letter and receipt? Stalwart said he has identity card, the officer said he must produce his Corporate Affairs Registration Certificate to identify himself.”
Fed up and frustrated Omotoya said the time was around 5pm “Stalwart ran back to his office to bring the Corporate Affairs business name registration certificate and out of frustration” he decided to see the 2nd in Command to the Assistant Commissioner of Police in Charge of the State CID after he was prevented to see the AC.
According him when he met the 2nd in command CSP Selong and explained the situations about
the mass arrest he feigned ignorance but asked me to call the OC D5, which he did. “When the OC D5, came he said once Stalwart produce the Corporate Affairs business name registration certificate, his detained wife will be released”.
the mass arrest he feigned ignorance but asked me to call the OC D5, which he did. “When the OC D5, came he said once Stalwart produce the Corporate Affairs business name registration certificate, his detained wife will be released”.
“At about 6:30pm Stalwart came back with the certificate, and I handed it over to the OC D5, he collected it, looked at it, and said he will investigate the matter and we should go”, only to understand that the OC D5 has in his corrupt tendency has asked the detainees to contribute N500,000 if they will celebrate festive session with their families or they would remain in police till Tuesday, being yesterday when work will resume.
The PPRO, DSP, Ebere Amaraizu has refused to comment on the matter as he refused to answer several calls placed to his mobile phone.
The question begging for answer would police authority do justice to this matter and many others that was under reported, with a view to deters other police officers out there. Only time will tell.
