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The leaders of the Obeagu Awkunanaw community and the concerned kindred families of Amechi Uwani community, both of Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State, have petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, over the alleged abuse of power by men and officers attached to D9 section of the Criminal and Investigation Department of the Enugu State Police Command.
In a petition dated September 7, lawyer to the communities, Obinna Ugwu said the people were being harassed often, allegedly on the instruction of some estate developers, who also laying claims to the land.
According to the petition, ‘indigenes have been passing through some excruciating torments in the hands of men and officers attached to D9 section of the Criminal and Investigation Department of the Enugu State Police Command.
‘We have deemed it absolutely important to forward this complaint to you so as to humbly request that you use your good offices to save their indigenes from the hands of the said D9 whose actions -albeit illegal- are entirely at the behest and prompting of two estate developers
‘It is indeed very pathetic that regardless of the involvement of the office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 9 into this matter, the D9 section of the Criminal and Investigation Department of the Enugu State Police Command has continued in their unabashed act of intimidating our clients by arresting and detaining without any justifiable reason the indigenes of our clients who are perceived to be threats to the unlawful desires of the estate developers.
‘Notwithstanding the pending investigation by the office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 9 Headquarters as well as the investigation by the Police Service Commission, the said D9 section has in recent times availed itself to be used as an engine of illegality by the estate developers as the said D9 Section has been arresting and detaining the indigenes of our clients.
‘It is, therefore, in total consideration of the above act of abuse of office by the D9 section of the Criminal and Investigation Department of the Enugu State Police Command that our clients write to you to request your very much needed intervention so as to curtail and put in check the excesses of the said D9 section of the Criminal and Investigation Department of the Enugu State Police Command.’
The Commander of the D9 Unit, Nnamdi Okeke, didn’t deny or confirm the claims. He ended the call, while the conversation was still ongoing.
‘I got your message. Who are the people who wrote the petition? Obeagu…?,’ he had said before terminating the call.
In an earlier text message sent to the policeman, Okeke, our correspondent had inquired: ‘Good morning. My name is Fred Itua from The Sun Newspaper. I’m writing a story on a petition filed by Obeagu Community in Enugu to the IG of Police over alleged abuse of power and harassment by D9 Section which you command. I need your reaction.’
THE SUN, NiGERIA
