…Lawyers React
The Rivers State Police command has denied intimidating, harassing Chinedu Orlu-orlu,a reporter with Today 95.1fm when they used him to lure, arrest Kingsley Victor Woko, Community Development Chairman of Rumuaholu in ,Obio/Akpor LGA last Monday.
Ike Wigodo, the Secretary of Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ),Rivers State chapter, in an interview with Journalists yesterday (Wednesday 7, June,2023) said when he went to meet the leadership of the Police in the state, the Commander of the Commissioner of Police (CP) monitoring unit in charge of the matter disclosed that Mr Orlu-orlu was not harassed or intimidated when he was used to lure,arrest the suspect.
Meanwhile,Mr Orlu-orlu has described as misrepresentation of fact,the statement credited to the unit Commander.
In an interview with Journalists, Mr Orlu-orlu said “If the Police will deny they did not harass me,they are lieing.They harassed me, they took me out on gunpoint,all of them that came,five of them were with guns .
“After they dialled his number in my phone and his line came out in my phone,as the current CDC Chairman.They told me that if I don’t produce him,they would hold me down,even if is two years,that they will deal with me .
“I asked them the station they came from, they did not tell me the station,they are coming from,they said they will not tell me anything,until I will know where I am by this evening.
“So they threatened me,I was so afraid,they came like kidnappers,they did not come like normal Police Officers .There was no form of identification.They(Police) came in a kidnapping form.
“They threatened my life . Immediately they used my line to call him and then he came out,they pushed me away in his presence before the entire community where people were seeing that this is the man who he(CDC Chairman) usually call to come and run news for him.It now look like I am the one who brought the Police to come and carry him
“I did not believe they were Police Officers until the lawyer(man’s lawyer) searched and found out that they are in State CIID.
Lawyers Speak On Use Of Journalist By The Police To Lure,Arrest A Suspect
In an interview with our reporter, Arochuckwu Paul Ogbonna,a legal practitioner and National Coordinator Civil Rights Council said
“It is absolutely wrong policing.How can you go and arrest an innocent person who has committed no crime just because you want to arrest another.There is no vicarious criminal liability in law .The law is that every crime committed by an individual is for that individual,and it is the responsibility of the Police to arrest the suspect or the person suspected to have committed a crime according to the provisions of the law .
“You arrested an innocent person who has committed no offence,on what basis did you arrest him?It is completely wrong policing and is inconsistent with the Police act .
“What the Police have done is absolutely wrong.The man they arrested without offence should file a suit against them.petition them to,CP,IG and Police service commission .
“Let the Journalist first of all report to the professional body, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Rivers State branch,the NUJ should proceed to court and lodge a complaint both criminal and civil .He should bring a fundamental rights action against the Policemen.His complaint and protest will put a stop to the criminal disposition of some Police officers who act outside the law and put the law into their own hands in other to perpetrate unacceptable behavior in the society.
“What the Police did is totally unacceptable in a democratic society.It is very wrong.Police has the right to go after anybody that has committed a crime but in doing so,they should not put innocent people in between them and their duty.The man is not a Policeman,so what brought him to the activities of the Police?”
Victor Joel Esq, National Legal Adviser of Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, in an interview said
“It is quite unfortunate the way the security agencies go about doing their job most times you find out that people are being arrested unlawfully and taken into detention for offence they did not commit .
“Strictly speaking, the law is regards to the fact that provided the person did not commit any offence there is no reason whatsoever for the Police to arrest you and use you as a point of getting some other person.That means the Police has gone beyond what they are supposed to do and now infringe on your fundamental right.
“The action of the Police by arresting a Journalist and taking him to a point where you want to get some other person arrested is in breach of his right and is a violation .
“It ought not to have happened in the first place.He should file a fundamental rights action against the Police claiming damages for such breach of his right,that is the position”
Also, Mrs Jane James Esq a lawyer and Chairperson of Legal Care Advocacy Foundation in an interview, said the Police in course of their investigation to arrest a suspect can explore different legitimate means.She however said in the case of Orlu-orlu,he can approach the court on legal interpretation of temporary seizure and restriction of his movement by the Police on the day of the incident.
Another lawyer,Henry Ekine Esq who is also the National Legal of Committe for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) in an interview,said that there is a section of the law that provides that a citizen can assist the Police in course of investigation to arrest a wanted suspect.
Mr Ekine however, said such assistance by the citizen will be devoid of threat, intimidation and harassment by the Police.
He said if the Police did not apply, threat, harassment and intimidation in using the Journalist to apprehend the suspect, his right cannot be said to have been violated.
