BY MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
Fresh allegations of commercialized arrests, bordering on extortion have hit the Edo State Police Command, with a call on the Commissioner of Police (CP), Lawan Jimeta to carefully examine the activities of his heads of tactical units and divisions in the state.
Some residents and security experts in the state are crying out and advising the State Police boss, who assumed duty in the state on Thursday November 21, 2019 to randomly monitor activities of his personnel on duty, as well as strengthen X-squad wing which deals with Police officers’ misconduct in the command in order to address the corruption allegations.
Jimeta is also advised not to base his successes in crime control and prevention in the state on the number of arrests made, but the convictions and loots recovered from suspects as well as crimes detected before execution.
The concerned Edo citizens/residents made this known while speaking with Alltimepost.com in Benin City on Monday, bemoaning the alleged criminal activities of some force members, being paid by tax payers to protect them.
“Some SARS operatives stormed our homes at Uwasota about 2 a.m. last December alleging that our sons were cultists.
“They took them to police headquarters. When we got there in morning the IPO said they were investigating, in the afternoon he said he would charge them to court, by evening he said we should pay N200, 000 each for bail.
“We forcedly negotiated our individual son’s bail, paid, they were released and that ended the allegation of cultism levelled against our children,” one Mr. Erhahon and Pastor Isaac Uba told Alltimepost.com.
Another Edo resident also alleged that his son who visited him from the UK was ripped of N220, 000 by a team of policemen on patrol along Boundary road while on his way to catch his Lagos-bound flight at Benin airport.
“The policemen followed my son to a nearby ATM spot where he withdrew the cash and gave them after they accused him of engaging in internet fraud popularly called “Yahoo-Yahoo.”
A security expert who begged for anonymity and claimed to have x-rayed the activities of operatives of Edo police command lately remarked that the newly deployed CP must first fight in-house corruption to achieve his goals in the state.
“I have lived and worked elsewhere….it’s only here police will arrest a suspect, keep in their cell and proudly tell the public that they are investigating.
“Investigation and arrest, which comes first in crime prevention and bursting? he quizzed rhetorically.
He further challenged the CP and police authorities to prove ignorance of collection of ‘Egunje’ (bribe) along different roads by sending special team to apprehend and parade those involved.
“It was in this Benin City that a one AIG Ekpoudum arrested, paraded and prosecuted some of his officers found collecting bribe from drivers.
“It can be replicated and sustained,” he further stated.
Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer for Edo Command, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor said any Police officer who effects arrest without due process does so at his/her own risk.
He explained that no police officer is authorized to take money from any suspect in carrying out raids.
DSP Nwabuzor however noted that act of carrying out raid is to rid the state of hoodlums and criminal elements.
“The operation on raiding is permitted by judge’s rule. The operatives will screen those arrested and pass such suspects to his/her superior. If found to be a victim of circumstance, such suspect is allowed to go without paying any money. Those found wanting will be properly investigated and prosecuted.”
