*Indicted Police Officers dismissed, to be paraded and arraigned in court
Okafor Ofiebor/ Port Harcourt
The wheel of justice finally rolled for late Chima Ikwunado on Monday as police officers who tortured him to death and also inflicted grievous injuries on four others, popularly known as ‘Ikokwu four’ were dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force.
The police officers of the notorious Eagle Crack Squad of Rivers State Police Command who arrested Ikwunado, an automobile technician and the four traders over allegation of theft which was later discovered to be false will be arraigned in court on Tuesday July 7.
The dismissal of the police officers followed demand for justice for the murdered automobile technician and the tortured traders by several local and International organizations including the Rivers State Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, led by Enefaa Georgewill, the press, the Ikokwu motorspareparts dealers and the Rivers State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
The groups had especially appealed to the new Commissioner of Police, CP Joseph Mukan and Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Adamu to prevail on the
Rivers State Police command to ensure Justice for the late Chima Ikwunado and Ikokwu 4 by meting out appropriate punishments to the erring officers.
In the several engagements with Civil Society Organisations, CP Mukan had assured the no police officer will be allow to go unpunished after under his watch after committing professional infractions, especially, abuse of human rights.
Mukan was also able to persuade the leadership of Rivers State Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, RIVSCO against embarking on mass action to protest the continued delay in bringing police officers involved in the killing of late Chima Ikwunado and torture of Ikokwu 4 to justice.
The late Ikwunado died in the cell of Eagle Crack Squad of the Police in December 2019, while life-threatening injuries were inflicted on the surviving four Ikokwu Motor spare parts dealers in the police custody.
The four traders who survived the ordeal of the torture were later charged to a Magistrate Court that remanded them in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre on charges of armed robbery.
They were released when it was discovered that the charges were false.
The immediate past Rivers Commissioner of Police, CP Mustapha Dandaura, who set up the notorious Eagle Crack team, led by SP Benson Adetuyi, neither paraded the culprits or released the autopsy report that revealed that late Chima Ikwunado was tortured to death in detention.
However, Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni in a press statement said the officers have been dismissed by the police force and will be charge to court.
The statement reads: “The Officers from the Eagle Crack Squad who allegedly tortured late Chima Ikwunado to death in December 2019 and unlawfully inflicted various degrees of injuries on, Ifeanyi Onyekwere ‘m’, Ogbonna Victor ‘m’, Ifeanyi Osuji ‘m’ and Osaze Friday ‘m’ have been dismissed by the Rivers State Police Command and will be charged to Court tomorrow for Conspiracy and Murder, among other Charges.
The Officers who had gone through the processes of Orderly Room Trials were today de-kitted and dismissed from the Force, hence their arraignment.
Recall that the Commissioner of Police, CP Joseph G. Mukan psc (+) in his Maiden Press Briefing on assumption of duty in the State, promised to address all cases of infractions and unprofessional conduct of the Officers and men of the Command, and to offer quality Policing Services to the State.
The dismissal of today is an eloquent demonstration of his transparency and avowed commitment to entrench Discipline in the Command, while appealing to the public to remain steadfast and continue to have Faith in the Police, by assisting us with useful information that will enhance our job.