Fred Itua, Abuja
Two communities in Enugu South Local Government, 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 Intelligence and Investigation Department, Enugu State Police Command.
Lawyer to the petitioners, Obinna Ugwu, in the petition, 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 habit and farm.
Mr. Ugwu in the petition, alleged that the State Police Command, despite a valid court order, has maintained a very heavy physical presence in “our clients communities in defiance of 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 put a stop to 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.
“Convinced that our client’s request will attract a favourable consideration from your office, we humbly wish to express our profound gratitude in anticipation of your much desired intervention.
“It is indeed very strange that while the Enugu State Police Command continues it’s action against our clients, the said company they’re protecting is on the other hand enjoying the special protection of the said Police Command.
“This has continued to aid and abet the activities of the said company on our clients’ land, the revocation of the allocation of our clients’ land to the company notwithstanding,” Ugwu stated in the petition,” he added.
Police spokesman of Enugu Command, Mr. Daniel Ndukwe, when contacted, said he would get in touch with the right person to give more insights into the issue.