A complainant, Mr. Emenike Festus Umezurike on Friday narrated his ordeals in the hands of the Nigerian Police saying that he was unlawfully detained for 58 days at the Cameroun Barracks Police station Aba, Abia state where the Police tried to extort N5 million from him.
Testifying in the case of alleged unlawful arrest, detention, inhuman and degrading treatment he brought against the Police, Mr. Umezurike, told the panel that while he was trying to market a landed property, the Police arrested and detained him at Umuagwo Police station in Ohaji Egbema in Imo state.
He informed the panel that the said property he was trying to sell came through one Johnbosko, who unknown to him does illegal business of framing charges against innocent people, and using the Police to detain and extort money from them in the name of bail.
It was at the Police station, he stated that a lady surfaced and claimed that I duped her sometimes in 2007, which made the Police prolong his detention, he stated.
According to him, he tried to defend himself by telling the Police that he did not know the lady at all, let alone duping her up to the tune of N5 million but his defense was not considered by the Police.
He further stated before the panel presided by Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN) on behalf of the Chairman, Justice Suleiman Galadima (rtd) that that he was teargased and beaten with rope and cane by Inspector Ebini (in-charge of crime), Cameroun Barracks Police station Aba, Abia state.
In view of the foregoing, he pleaded with panel to order a compensation of N200 million in his favour following the alleged human rights violations meted out to him by the police.
Earlier, the Police counsel, Malik Taiwo had prayed the panel to order that the matter be handled by Imo state office of the National Human Rights Commission where the alleged violations took place, for convenience sake. The panel, however, declined to make such an order saying that the Police are one and therefore could defend petitions brought against them in any state in Nigeria.
The matter was adjourned to 9th of March of March, 2022 for cross examination and defense.
