Fred Itua, Abuja
Two communities in Enugu South Local Government Area, Amechi Awkunanaw and Obeagu, have petitioned the chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Musiliu Smith, over alleged rights abuse by D9 Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department(SCIID) Enugu State Police Command.
Lawyer to the petitioners, Obinna Ugwu, alleged a case of gross abuse of powers, reckless disobedience of a court order, acts of intimidation, oppression, suppression, aiding and abetting of the activities of land grabbers aimed at converting lands where people of the two communities inhabit and farm.
Mr. Ugwu alleged that the State police Command, despite a valid court order, had maintained a very heavy physical presence in “our clients communities in defiance to the Order of Court. The police command has in a very questionable and suspicious bid to put a seemingly legal colouration to their various acts of illegality trumped up some very ridiculous and baseless charges against some indigenes of our clients.
“In view of the manifest acts of illegality of the Enugu State Police Command, acting through the D9 Section of the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, our client has approached your office to most humbly request that you use your good offices to look into the activities of the Enugu State Police Command as above enunciated so as to prevail on the Command to stop the continued show of shame and reckless abuse of powers being exhibited by the said Enugu State Police Command in manifest assistance of the Private Estate West Africa International Ltd.”