Lawyer, CLO Seek IGP, CP, PSC Intervention Over Alleged Officers Insubordination

Posted by African Examiner Enugu, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Friday, January 28th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – An Enugu based lawyer, Barr. C.D Ezeh, and Civil Liberties organization (CLO), have urged the inspector General of police (IGP) Baba Alkali, police Service Commission (PSC), and Enugu State CP, Abubakar Lawal, to use their good offices to probe alleged acts of impunity, insubordination, and attempt to truncate justice leveled against a Deputy Commissioner (DCP) in Enugu Command, Titus Samuel Musa and some other officers.

They accused the said (DCP)alongside one Kelvin, a Deputy Superintendent of police (DSP) of the X- Squad Section who is the investigating police officer IPO in a civil case involving a serving female Inspector, Mrs. Evelyn Timothy, and her neighbour of deliberately and unlawfully refusing to transfer the case file to the Force criminal investigation Department (CID) Annex, Enugu, as ordered by the IGP, force CID.

The lawyer and rights group further alleged that the accused Senior police officers, have been acting with impunity on the matter which was a case of alleged assault against Inspector Timothy

who currently serves at the Detective College, Enugu.

Our Correspondent reports that the alleged Assault incident took place sometimes early 2021.

Dissatisfied with the manner the case was being handled, by the officers investigating the said matter, CLO, had on the 28th, of September, 2021, petitioned the Deputy Inspector General of police DIGP, Force CID Headquarters, Abuja, complaining about the handedness and alleged impunity by the investigating officers.

The Rights group, had in the petition, signed by it’s Enugu State Chapter publicity Secretary, Mr. Micheal Odiegwu, requested for the transfer of the case file to the IGP’s office, a request that was subsequently granted via a letter dated 22nd October 2021, and signed by an Assistant Commissioner of police (Admin) ACP Alex Ebbah.

The petition tagged: request for transfer of Case File fraudulently investigated by X- Squad Section of the State CID Enugu by IPO DSP Kelvin, also accused the investigating officers of alleged corruption, pervasion of justice, lack of transparency, and connivance to intimidate inspector Timothy.

According to CLO, the female police officer, narrated to the organization of how she was invited by DSP Kelvin on 20th, September 2021, a day he informed her that he was investigating a case of assault brought to the office against her by a woman.

CLO, equally accused the investigating officer and DCP of demanding gratification from Inspector Timothy.

It said following the refusal of the female officer to play along with the alleged corrupt officers in terms bribe given, they vowed to rubbish her career, even as they had earlier harassed and detained her with the children at the State CID for about five days.

The organization maintained that it was clear and obvious that the investigating officer and his colleagues in crime, had a mindset right from the day they invited Mrs. Timothy to the state CID for questioning.

Corroborating CLO’s position, Barrister Ezeh, posited that the flagrant refusal of DCP Musa and DSP Kelvin to do the needful on the matter calls for serious concern, saying such act of impunity and insubordination in security establishment as the police was surprising.

He wondered why a junior officer would flagrantly refuse to take instructions from his superiors from the force Headquarters , even when such directive is officially documented.

Ezeh, who has threatened a civil suit on the matter should those concerned fail to do the needful, stressed that as it stands, “Our client can no longer stand the indignity of these infamous conducts, hence we were briefed.

The Counsel however, urged the police Authorities to “intervene most expeditiously in order to short circuit this brewing act of impunity and braggadocio”

He added” kindly ensure that this case file is transferred to higher formation, Viz, Force CID Annex Enugu where both parties will be afforded a fair and level playing ground for a conducive and judicious investigation of this matter.

Please kindly do the needful in the in the interest of justice ” Barr. Ezeh stayed.

Efforts to speak with any of the officers concerned including DCP Musa was not successful, but a Senior officer at the Command’s CID department who craved anonimity told African Examiner that the case file cannot be transferred to anywhere until the investigating officers completes the internal trial Mechanism of Mrs. Timothy.

It was gathered that Inspector Timothy was subjected to orderly room trial which lasted several hours last Wednesday.