The Anambra State Police Stakeholders Partnership Discussion board, and the Rule of Regulation and Accountability Advocacy Centre have proven severe issues on the controversy surrounding the dying of 1 Uchenna Okafor (male), who allegedly died within the custody of the Anambra State Felony Investigation Division annex, Awkuzu, in December 2022.
The teams demanded that the Anambra police should come clear on the suspicious and controversial dying of {the teenager} and inform the general public what actually transpired.
The dying of Okafor on the police custody was made public by a social justice campaigner by means of his Twitter deal with, @Ada_mummyya, on January 9.
The tweep alleged that Okafor was arrested for a case of ‘two preventing’ and brought to the police station on December 23, 2022.
It was reported that the dad and mom of the deceased had been requested to convey the sum of N150,000.00 to bail him, however six days after the arrest, when the dad and mom of the deceased acquired to the station, and inquired about their son, they had been knowledgeable that Okafor had died.
The Drive Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Police Drive, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who reacted to the tweet, stated he had requested the Anambra State Police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, to look into the matter and revert to him.
Ikenga, who reacted to Adejobi’s tweet, stated the state police command had began a probe into the “dying of a suspect Uchenna Okafor, who died in detention”.
In line with an announcement made obtainable to journalists on January 11, Ikenga additionally stated the command had began a probe into the “dying of a suspect Uchenna Okafor, who died in detention”.
Ikenga, stated, “It’s a case of armed theft and never a case of ‘two preventing’ as alleged. The complainant positively recognized the three suspects. There have been marks of violence and severe wound on the physique of the complainant because of the assault by the suspects.
“The suspects’ statements had been taken and so they all confessed to the crime. They had been detained with different suspects within the cell. The opposite suspects, whereas in custody, revealed that as they had been sleeping, late Uchenna began performing abnormally.
“He screamed and hit his head on the wall earlier than he slumped. The sufferer was taken to the hospital and he was confirmed lifeless by the physician. No cash was demanded or collected by the IPO or any policeman as attested by the deceased father.”
Ikenga, due to this fact, acknowledged that the police had prolonged an invite to the social justice advocate and Twitter person @Ada_mummyya for questioning after “he claimed that the trio (suspects) had been requested to convey N50,000.00 every for bail”.
The police promised to conduct an post-mortem into the incident to establish the reason for Okafor’s dying, however up till now, 18 days after, nothing has been heard from the police.
In separate statements signed by the Coordinator, PSPF, Anambra State chapter, Chris Azor, and Government Director, RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, each teams stated the actions and silence of the police on the event are suspicious.
The assertion, which is titled, ‘Citizen Uchenna James Okafor: Suspicious dying in Anambra police custody’, was made obtainable to journalists in Awka, on Sunday.
It learn, “The Anambra Police Stakeholders Partnership Discussion board and the Rule of Regulation and Accountability, Advocacy Centre, are involved that two weeks after the general public assertion by the Anambra State Police Command, nothing has been heard once more from the police and the dad and mom of the sufferer.
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“The narrative of the police and that of the Twitter deal with @Ada_mummyya are miles aside. One report is claiming ‘two preventing’; the police are claiming ‘armed theft’.
“It’s suspected that the sufferer could have been tortured to dying. A clear and credible post-mortem will reveal the reason for dying.
“We’re conscious that torture stays a prevalent observe within the Nigeria Police opposite to Sections 35-37 of the brand new Police Act 2020, which prohibits torture, merciless and different degrading and inhuman therapy. Part 62 of the brand new Police Act 2020 additionally states that ‘arrested individual have to be launched inside 24 hours with or with out bail, besides it includes a capital offence, which is punishable with dying.’
“The police accepted that Uchenna James Okafor was arrested on December 23, 2022 and died of their custody. Between the time of Uchenna’s arrest and the time the information of his dying in detention turned public, it was a spot of two weeks.
“We stand by the truth that the police are charged with sustaining regulation and order and delivering public security. They’re obligated to companion with the group and to be accountable within the discharge of their obligation.
“The Anambra State Police command didn’t make any public assertion on the dying of Uchenna James Okafor whereas of their custody, till the social justice campaigner twitted and uncovered the dying. And it took the directive of the Drive PRO for the Anambra State command to make an announcement on the incident.
“Even after the directive from the Drive headquarters, It took Anambra State Police command two (2) days to concern a press assertion on the dying in custody of Uchenna James Okafor. Might or not it’s that his dying was being hid? What motion(s) did the police take when it was found that Uchenna died of their custody?
“Days are working into weeks after Anambra Police Command promised to conduct post-mortem on the deceased. Stakeholders have but to be briefed on the end result.
“Inquiries by Media personnel in regards to the contacts of the deceased particularly, dad and mom and family members, have been rebuffed by the police authority.
“Throughout a go to by some journalists to the sufferer’s group, the standard ruler feigned ignorance of the incident. That is curious and factors to a probable cowl up bid and try to suppress data and permit public consideration shift from the incident.
“We, due to this fact, name for correct investigation into the arrest, detention, causes and circumstances surrounding the dying in custody of Uchenna James Okafor.
“We demand that Anambra Police Command makes a public assertion revealing, amongst different issues, the id of the opposite residents arrested with the deceased, the situation of their well being, and the way far the police have gone with investigation into the case, together with the results of post-mortem performed on the deceased.
“Examine and produce to justice, if discovered culpable, cops implicated within the shady dealing with of the case of late Uchenna James Okafor.”
Each effort to get the response of the Anambra State police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, to the event, proved abortive, as repeated calls to his phone line weren’t answered.
Texts and WhatsApp messages to his phone line weren’t additionally responded to as of the time of submitting this report.
