…demands investigation by CP Imo, justice for deceased
Juliana Francis
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has urged the Commissioner of Police Imo State Police Command, to protect its citizenries from indiscriminate mass arrests, harassment and intimidation by police and military personnel.
The Executive Director of RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma made this call in a petition addressed to the CP of Imo State.
He further called on the CP to ensure the restoration of public order and guarantee the safety and liberty of members and residents of Umulogho community in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State.
He explained that RULAAC has received disturbing information about the alleged ongoing indiscriminate mass arrests, harassment and brutalization of people and residents of Umulogho Obowo community in Imo State on account of a protest by youths of the community over the alleged murder of a youth of the community by a military officer in collusion with the management of a hotel where the victim was said to have been an auxiliary staff until he was murdered.
He said that information at his disposal showed that Chukwuebuka Nwaneri, a 24-year-old boy from Umulogho Obowo, Imo State was on Thursday, April 4, 2024 accused of stealing a cell phone belonging to a military officer who lodged at a hotel known as ‘Our Guesthouse’ located at Umulogho Obowo, Imo State where the boy was working until he was murdered.
Nwanguma further said: “Upon being summoned and confronted with the allegation of stealing the phone, the boy denied knowing anything about the missing phone. The owner of the hotel simply identified as Ibeh claimed he went to a native doctor with the boy and the native doctor confirmed that Chukwuebuka stole the phone.
“Chukwuebuka continued to deny the allegation of stealing the phone and he was consequently beaten and tortured in a bid to force him to confess, and was finally locked up in a small room where the hotel’s diesel generator is housed with heavy fumes emanating from the diesel engine.
“The following day, the hotel management opened the generator room and found the boy dead, apparently from a combination of the torture inflicted on him and suffocation.
“Ibeh, the owner of the guest house contacted the military officer who arrived at the Guest house later and they took the deceased boy’s corpse and dumped it in a cassava farm near the guest house.
“Days later- in the morning of Saturday 6th April 2024 the youths of the community who knew the boy discovered his corpse and identified him. The angry youths of the village upon hearing what transpired took the decomposing dead body in a wheelbarrow to the guesthouse in protest during which they caused some damage to the guest house property; this prompted the hotel management to contact the army personnel again who mobilised police and military intervention.
“Since Sunday, April 7th police and military operatives have been on the rampage indiscriminately arresting and brutalising youths in the community. The poor parents of the murdered boy identified as Mr. Udomba Nwaneri and Mrs. Rose Nwaneri are in fear as some of their family members are also among those either arrested or facing intimidation and threat of arrest.”
Nwanguma said that RULAAC condemns the resort to self-help by the military officer and the hotel management who took laws into their own hands.
He stressed that after accusing the boy without evidence, they resorted to trial by ordeal tortured him and locked him up in a small generator house with heavy fumes, instead of handing him over to the police for discrete investigation.
He added that trial by ordeal and torture are both crimes under Nigerian laws.
RULAAC calls on the Commissioner of Police, Imo State to halt the ongoing indiscriminate mass arrests in Umulogho Obowo by police and army personnel.
“All those illegally arrested should be released without delay. RULAAC calls for a prompt, impartial, and exhaustive investigation into the circumstances leading to the murder of Chukwuebuka Nwaneri. If the military officer and the hotel management are found culpable, they should be charged and tried by the law,” said Nwanguma.
He maintained that a message must be sent out loud and clear that every citizen must uphold the rule of law and be subject to same. “Any deviation from, or violation of the due process and legally established procedures for treating any person accused of crimes has legal consequences. We trust that the CP will treat these calls with urgency and professionalism.”
