From Fred Itua, Abuja
Concerned families of Amechi Awkunanaw and Obeagu communities of Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State, have accused D9 Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department of Nigeria Police, Enugu State Command, of undermining, disparaging and denigrating the office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), by ignoring an order from the police boss on land issues.
They alleged that the D9 Section, as part of moves to further flout the IGP’s order, is arresting and detaining some indigenes of the communities over some allegations bordering on a disputed land.
In a petition addressed to the IGP by the legal representative to the leaders, Obinna Ugwu, the families through their leaders said: “As against our clients’ expected report of the investigation of all the cases involving them by the Commissioner of Police (Legal), our clients were again and recently confronted with the arrest of their indigenes by the D9 Section of the Enugu State Police Command.
“Not only do our clients understand the action of the said D9 section of the Enugu State Police Command to be an affront to your office, our clients also believe that such action only goes to show that the said D9 Section has constituted itself into a parallel police organisation possibly under the command and control of its commander and not bound by any instruction or directive from the office of the Inspector-General of Police.
“It is also our clients’ prayer that this directive be extended to the entire Enugu State Police Command especially the D9 Section in order that the said State Command be restrained from further act of multiplication and duplication of investigations into the same subject matter and save its resources for other cases that need the attention of the Nigeria Police Force.”
Commander of the D9 Unit, Nnamdi Okeke, didn’t deny or confirm the claims. He ended the call, while the conversation was still ongoing on the issue.
“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.”
