A civil society organisation, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, has urged the acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to release the report of the investigative panel on Anambra extrajudicial killings and others, set up by his immediate predecessor, Usman Alkali Baba.
Baba, had in February, set up the panel following widespread allegations of unlawful detention, torture, extrajudicial killings, organ harvesting and conversion of property belonging to victims by some police officers in Anambra State. Some senior police officers and civilians were indicted in the allegations.
However, RULAAC, through its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, in a press statement made available to journalists, on Tuesday, therefore, called on the acting IG to release the report, pointing out that nothing has been heard about the findings eight months after.
The statement, titled, ‘Swept under the carpet?’ reads, “Early this year, sometime in February 2023, the immediate past Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, set up a team to carry out investigation into allegations of unlawful detention, torture, extrajudicial killings, organ harvesting and conversion of property belonging to victims by some Police officers in Anambra State.
“The allegations were made by a whistle-blower who had worked closely with the police officers against whom he made the allegations.
“The Force PRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, speaking on behalf of the NPF, assured that the investigation would be transparent, the outcome made public and appropriate actions taken against any police officer found culpable.
“The accused officers were invited to the Force Headquarters and allowed to return to their posts the same day.
“The whistle-blower who had escaped from the country – alleging threats to his life – was tracked by the Nigeria Police working with the INTERPOL and was arrested in Benin Republic, where he had escaped to.
“He was returned to Nigeria and detained at the Force Headquarters for several weeks amidst fears for his safety.
“After about two months in custody in Abuja, he was taken to Anambra State Police Command Headquarters, which also detained him for a while before eventually charging and arraigning him for, among other offences, impersonating a senior police officer.
“Following repeated demands by civil society organisations, for the police to make public the outcome of investigation into the allegations against the police officers in Anambra, the Force PRO issued a statement revealing that the report of the investigation had been submitted to the IGP.
“It was expected that the report would be made public as promised by the Force PRO.”
The civil group wondered that to date, nothing has been heard officially from the police authorities, suggesting that the findings might have been swept under the carpet as the victims continue to seek justice.
“Till date, nothing more has been heard officially from the NPF except that the head of the investigation team at the IGP’s Monitoring Unit stated that what was submitted to the IGP was a preliminary report and that investigation was still ongoing. It is over two months since he said this.
“It is nearly eight months since February when these allegations were made. While the police arrested, investigated and commenced the prosecution of the whistle-blower, nothing has been heard about the findings from the investigation of allegations against the police officers.
“CSOs should demand and call on the IGP to order that the report of the investigation be made public. This case should not be swept under the carpet,” the statement added.
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