Judicial panel of inquiry investigating police brutality in Akwa Ibom receives more complaints
The Divisional Police Officer, Itu Police Station in Akwa Ibom State, CSP Joseph Udourioh, said he has been receiving threats from cultists after spending N2.8 million to treat a robbery suspect he maimed.
Speaking at the Judicial panel of enquiry investigating Police brutality in the state, Udourioh explained yesterday in Uyo during the panel sitting.
According to him, he maimed one Victor Otu, a suspected armed robber when he was a DPO in Okobo local government area with his pistol while the victim was trying to escape from Police custody, adding that, he did not intent to harm the victim.
He explained further that, Otu whom he trusted, turned out to be the leader of an armed robbery gang involved in stealing facilities in one of the hospitals in Okobo, and raping nurses there.
According to him, since maiming the victim, he has spent about N2.8 million on treatment, adding that despite the amount spent, cultists have continued to threaten him.
“I maimed Victor after trying to escape from my custody the day I arrested him, after realizing that he was the leader of the armed gang.
“I maimed him with my pistol, I didn’t plan to do this but I did it basically for the purpose of righting the wrong in our society. After maiming him, I took him to the hospital and I have spent about N2.8 million for his treatment.
“Since then, I have been receiving threats from cultists and they even burnt down my office and many of my properties. During the cause of this threat, cultists have visited me several times partly at Okobo and partly at Itu,” he disclosed.
Counsel to the claimant, Clifford Thomas however kicked against the injury done to his client, Victor Otu, alleging that the DPO tried to bribe him with N1. 3 million to end the case, but he returned the money to his client.
The panel adjourned the case to another sitting day.
Another petitioner, Esther Eton, urged the panel to grant her justice against the killers of her son, Daniel Eton who was shot dead by Police officers in 2016.
Narrating her ordeal to the panel, Eton said, “my son, a 35-year-old man, on December 31, 2016, went to visit his friend, Anietie Etim in the evening at No. 124 Aka road, Uyo.
“It was later reported to me in the morning by my second son, Charles Eton that Daniel was shot death at about 11:45pm in the night by police officers.
“All my efforts to know the murderer of my son was in vain. I reported to many police stations but nothing was done about it. Not until I heard about this panel, so I decided to come here and tender my report”.
Another petitioner, Mfon-Abasi Nyong told the panel that his friend, Nsikak Christopher was shot death by a Police Officer named Ubong on March 28, 2015.
Nyong specified that his friend died while he was on election duty.
According to him, “It was on election duty, around 1:30 to 2:00 pm, when Nsikak called me that one of the vehicles he used refused to start, and asked me where I was. I told him that I was at unit 7 on Ibiam street and he later ask me to meet him at unit 11 on Oku street.
“When I got there with a car battery, I was with him when I saw a man who jumped inside the vehicle through the back of the vehicle and started struggling the steering with him. A Police van branded” ALPHA” over took us.
“And all of a sudden, one Ubong shot Nsikak twice on his forehead, and he died immediately. I was able to escape, because I was afraid for my life. I later went and reported the incident to Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), because Nsikak and I were in that Union. I couldn’t go to the police station because my life was at risk,” he explained.
After listening to the complaints, the presiding judge, Justice Ifiok Ukana, adjourned the cases to next week.