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Police Brutality: Man Groans As Officer Torture, Inflicts Serious Injury On Him

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A police officer named Beatrice Amowie has tortured and inflicted serious injuries on a suspect, Mr. Vincent Omosigho Erawuyi, a 37-year-old cab driver who was detained in the cell in Benin.

Omosigho, a father of two said he had encountered with Amowie, a Police Inspector attached to Etete Police station, Benin, at Limit Junction Benin when he went their stand at the junction to apologise to an officer he said he offended for not stopping when he he was asked to stop the previous day.

He added that not knowing to him, the officer was not on duty but he unknowningly apologised to the wrong officer (Amowie) who he said was on duty at the junction and reportedly punched him.

Omosigho who was groaning in pain while speaking to newsmen said on his bid to escape from officer Amowie, his right hand mistakenly hit her on her chick which led to his arrest and detention.

READ ALSO: Extortion: Police To Streamline, Train Vigilante Members In Edo

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“I was stopped by a police officer on the 9th of July at Limit Junction. The officer stopped me and was about damaging my sidemirror so I zoomed off. But because it is my regular route, and knowing well that I had wronged the officer, I went there to beg but, honestly speaking, I never knew it was the wrong person I was apologising to. As I was apologising for my wrong doing the previous day, she held me tight on my neck with my shirt and started punching me. And on my bid to escape, my hand mistakenly hits her on the chick and she arrested me and took me to Etete Police station,” he said while weeping.

According to him, he was detained in the cell for more than a week before he was charged to court, adding that during this period the police denied his family to gain access to him.

Omosigho adding that, in the course of his trial in the court, he was granted bail but he was unable to meet the bail conditions which warranted his return to the cell.

READ ALSO: Police Inspector Arrested For Allegedly gunrunning, Renting To Notorious Criminals

He noted that, on getting to the cell after few days, the Inspector handcuffed him, tortured him and hit him with the butt of her gun on his legs (below his knees) thereby inflicting serious injuries on his legs particularly his left leg which was already filled with poss as at when he spoke with newsmen in pain.

He noted that after the torture he was still detained in the cell for over two weeks with no medical treatment, adding that the Inspector vowed that he was going to die in cell while they denied his family members to see him.

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Also speaking to our Correspondent in tears, Stella Erawuyi, wife of the suspect, said “They did not allow any of us to see him in the cell so I had to pay N1,000 each time I went to the cell to visit him. They refused us to see him after they beat him and injure him.”

When contacted on phone, police spokesperson in Edo State, SP Bello Kontongs said he was aware of the incident, adding that he had received several calls from activist on the incident but the victim needs to be accompanied by those calling for justice in the incident to the command headquarters or zone 5 so the matter can be treated.

READ ALSO: Just In: Police Kill Ahmed Gulak’s Assailants In Gun Duel

“I’ve received several calls from journalists and activists on the matter but the advice I have been giving is that they should bring the victim to the command headquarters or zone 5 headquarters so they can properly lodge their complaint and we follow it up.

“The station concerned is just a divisional police headquarters so it is not higher than the state command or zone 5. When we receive the complaint formally, we will handle it,” he said.

 

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Anambra Court Jails Two For Vandalising Electricity Cables

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A Federal High Court sitting in Awka, the Anambra State capital has sentenced Chinonso Chinaemelu, 27-year-old, and Okoye Christian, 20-year-old to one-year imprisonment respectively for vandalising a distribution substation belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc.

This development was made known by the Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Emeka Ezeh, in a statement on Thursday.

Ezeh said the duo were arrested on November 29, 2023, by Abatete local vigilante group while attempting to vandalise the distribution substation within the locality.

He also confirmed that in the same week, a couple identified as Mr & Mrs Ebuka Umeh, were arrested by members of Isuorji community neighbourhood security in Orlu, Imo State.

READ ALSO: Hoodlums Set Anambra Police Station Ablaze

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According to him, the couple was arrested when the wife was attempting to pick the vandalised items from a distribution substation belonging to EEDC with their motorcycle, adding that the couple attacked the substation for three days.

Ezeh said, “In a related development, a vandal suspect identified as Chukwuebuka Ezike who hails from Umunachi in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State was arrested by Umuezinachi community neighbourhood watch while he was cutting aluminum conductor around Orie Uguiri Market.

“At Amachi-Izhia, Ebonyi State, Amara Joseph Ajagbo was arrested by members of the Electricity Committee for vandalizing nine spans of aluminum conductors in their community, while two of his gang members escaped.

READ ALSO: Court Sentences Chinese To Death For Killing Nigerian Girlfriend

“The suspects have been handed over to the respective Police formations for proper investigation and possible prosecution.”

Ezeh lamented the spate of vandalism in the EEDC network, stating that it is a major challenge negatively impacting the smooth operations of the company.

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According to him, between January 2022 to date, the company has recorded over 170 cases of vandalism in its network, with about 135 suspected vandals arrested, out of which over 100 have been charged to court.

He stressed that the company will not relent in its resolve to prosecute these arrested suspects and go all out to fish out receivers of these vandalized items as they remain the motivation for the vandals.

Ezeh lamented that it has become difficult for the organisation to fund the restoration of vandalised infrastructure and that the development is affecting service delivery to customers.

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Hoodlums Set Anambra Police Station Ablaze

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Some yet-to-be-identified assailants have set ablaze the police divisional headquarters in Nneni, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.

It was gathered that the hoodlums invaded the facility in the early hours of Thursday and threw explosive devices that burnt parts of the building.

A source and one of the residents in the area said the hoodlums were attempting to free some inmates at the facility, but they were unsuccessful as police officers on duty repelled the attack.

READ ALSO: INEC Disowns LP’s National Convention

When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the attack but added that no life was lost.

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“In Nneni, no life was lost. No policeman was whisked away, and no armed was taken away. Instead, the hoodlums threw IEDs into the police facility, which torched part of the building.

“Our operatives gallantly resisted the attackers, which made them flee. Operations are still ongoing, and further developments shall be communicated,” Ikenga said.

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Court Orders Release Of 313 Suspected Terrorists

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A Federal High Court in Borno has ordered the release of no fewer than 313 suspected terrorists arrested by the military.

The court ordered their release for lack of evidence to nail the suspects after the investigation.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, disclosed this during a briefing on military operations across the country on Thursday in Abuja.

He assured all that the military would comply with the court order and release the suspected terrorists to the state government.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Military Yields To Pressure, Frees Abducted Lagos Editor

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Buba said, “During the week, as a follow up to a court order of the Federal High Court in Maiduguri, a total of 313 suspects in detention for terrorism-related offences were to be released to the Borno State government.

“The court ordered the release for want of evidence after the conclusion of the investigation and other ancillary matters.

“The cases were prosecuted by the Department of Prosecution, Federal Ministry of Justice. Accordingly, they would be handed over to the Borno State Government for further action.”

The PUNCH reports that this is not the first time suspected terrorists would be acquitted for want of evidence.

READ ALSO: INEC To Publish Edo Gov Candidates’ Credentials Saturday

The Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had on December 4, 2023, said out of a total of 1,323 suspects prosecuted for terrorism, only 366 convictions were secured.

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He noted that 896 others were discharged for lack of evidence.

Fagbemi said, “I must acknowledge the fact that we have come a long way in this initiative. The first phase of the Kainji Prosecution Project commenced in October 2017 with remarkable achievements where we recorded a total of 366 convictions, 896 others were discharged for want of sufficient evidence and 61 other cases adjourned for further hearing.

“There have been three phases of the exercise so far, spanning between October 2017 and July 2018. I must, at this point, challenge all stakeholders to ensure that the momentum is sustained, seeing how important this assignment is to the well-being of our beloved country and her people.”

 

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