CRRAN Petitions IGP, Enugu CP Over Unlawful Detention, Extortion

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A human rights Organization, Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN), has petitioned the Acting Inspector General of police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, over alledged unlawful detention and extortion of 500, 000. (Five hundred thousand) naira by some police officers from one Mr. Cletus Nwebor in Enugu.

While calling for a thorough Investigation in the matter and refund of the said money, the group, also stressed the need for necessary disciplinary action against the involved policemen, so as to serve as a deterrent to others.

The petition dated 13, August 2023 signed by CRRAN president, Barrister Olu Omotayo, was  copied to the Enugu State Commissioner of police, Ahmed Ammani and was made available to African Examiner on Tuesday.

It read thus: “We write to you in respect of the above-mentioned matter on behalf of Mr. Cletus P. Nwebor of No. 18/20 Nike Avenue G.R.A. Enugu.

“Mr. Cletus P. Nwebor and his father Jeofrey Nwebor, had sometimes in November 2022, made a petition to the Commissioner of Police Enugu State titled: “RE: Illegal  and  unlawful fraudulent removal  of boundary marks with  intent  To Defraud  MR. Paul Oscar  Udoji And MR. IFEANYI NWANDU”.

“While the matter was being investigated at the State CID Enugu, the duo of Paul Oscar Udoji and Ifeanyi Nwandu ran to Police Headquarters Zone 13 and made a petition against the Nwebors. So the Nwebors’ now became suspects at Zone 13.

“According to Cletus he later bailed himself after his arrest at Zone 13 and he reported severally after which the IPO of the Case ASP Okilo, said the matter is a land matter and it should be resolved by the parties.

“Cletus Nwebor decided to approach the court and filed a suit before the Enugu State High Court in: Suit No: E/484/2023, MR. JEOFREY NWEBOR & ANOTHER V. MR. PAUL OSCAR NDOJI & 2 OTHERS.

“Surprisingly yesterday the 13th August 2023, Cletus Nwebor was arrested by a team of policemen led by ASP Okilo, while attending a function in a hotel in Enugu.

“He was thereafter taken to Police Area Command Enugu, where he was detained. The IPO ASP Okilo, said his offence was that Cletus jumped bail as he did not come to Zone 13, again, but Cletus said that since the Police asked that parties should settle because the case is land matter, he decided to file a suit at an Enugu State High Court.

“All efforts by family members to get Cletus who is sick, on bail were abortive as the Police demanded N1 million Naira, for his bail and that Cletus should write that he will not enter the land in dispute again (which Cletus refused to write).

“Even the intervention of the DCO Abakaliki Road Police Station who is a family friend of the Nwebors’ could not get Cletus released.

“When ASP Okilo, and his team later agreed to collect part payment of N500,000 Naira, they insisted that Cletus must bring the N500,000 Naira balance on Tuesday 15th August when he is to report at Zone 13 Police Headquarters, Anambra.

“Part of the condition imposed before the release of Cletus was that the N500,000 Naira , should be transferred to a designated  account.

Omotayo, added that “Cletus transferred the sum of N250,000 Naira to the designated  account and his friends contributed N80,000 Naira, N20, 000 Naira and N150,000 Naira respectively to make up another N250,000 Naira, which were transferred directly making it a total of N500,000 Naira.

“Cletus was later released from cell at the Area Command Enugu, at about 1a.m in the night.  The mobile transaction receipts evidencing the respective transactions are attached herewith.

“We condemn in an unequivocal terms the unlawful arrest, detention and extortion of the sum of N500,000 Naira, from Cletus Nwebor over land matter that is pending in the court.

“The youths of this great country should not continue to be intimidated, harassed at will by law enforcement agents.

“No citizen of this country should be forced to part with his hard earned money by security agents who are meant to protect the citizenry.

“We seek your office protection for Cletus Nwebor and demand that these policemen should be stopped from further harassing and extorting money from Cletus and his family.

The petition stated further that “We demand a thorough investigation of this matter and demand that appropriate disciplinary action should be taken against the erring officers in other to serve as deterrent to others.

“We further demand that the sum of N500,000 Naira, extorted from Cletus Nwebor be returned back to him immediatel.