Metro
Police barred From Arbitrary Arrests, Detention Of Youths, Collection, Checking Of Phones
The police authorities warned that henceforth any police personnel caught indulging in the prohibited acts would be punished including the Commissioner of Police of the command and their supervisors.
The Nigerian Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered an immediate halt to unnecessary arrests and detention of youths across the country.
The IGP, who is currently under fire over incessant arbitrary arrests, detentions and human rights violations, also directed that all arbitrary collection and checking of phones be stopped immediately.
The police authorities warned that henceforth any police personnel caught indulging in the prohibited acts would be punished including the Commissioner of Police of the command and their supervisors.
The warning is contained in a police wireless message dated December 13, 2024 and addressed to all the State Commands which was obtained by PidomNigeria.
In the letter signed by the Department of Operations for the Force Headquarters, the police hierarchy stated that such impunity and unlawful attitudes are portraying the Nigeria Police Force in bad light.
According to the message, all these infractions culminated to the #EndSARS protest which led to the destruction of properties and killing in the past.
The message with DTO: 111996/ and Ref: CB:0900/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.TIO/157 was titled: Order and directives: Arbitrary Arrest and Detention.
It partly read: “Arbitrary Arrest X Detention X NIGPOL DCPS ABUJA DIRECTS X HENCEFORTH X THERE SHOULD BE NO UNNECESSARY ARREST AND DETENTION OF YOUTHS X COLLECTING OF PHONES X CHECKING OF PHONES X AT CHECKING POINTS X THESE SHOULD STOP X THIS ATTITUDE IS Portraying THE Nigeria POLICE FORCE IN BAD IMAGE X ALL THESE CULMINATED TO END-SARS PROTEST X DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTIES X KILLING IN THE PAST X NIGPOL DOPS DIRECTS YOU DESIST FROM SUCH UNLAWFUL ACTS X ANYONE CAUGHT WILL BE DISCIPLINE ALONG WITH COMMANDS COMPOLS/SUPERVISORS AS INGENPOL WILL DEPLOY MONITORING UNITS FOR Enforcement OF THIS DIRECTIVES X TREAT AS VERY IMPORTANT.”
SaharaReporters recently reported that human rights activist and convener of #RevolutionNow Movement, Omoyele Sowore, warned that the Inspector-General of Police was illegally occupying the seat of IGP and that his mission was to destroy the Nigerian police.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), said Egbetokun had deliberately been engaging in egregious violations of human rights since he was appointed and his tenure illegally extended by President Bola Tinubu.
The former presidential candidate, in a post on his social media handle, had said that the IGP must be stopped before he completely destroyed the Nigerian police.
Sowore wrote, “This illegal IG of @PoliceNG, Kayode Egbetokun, has engaged in egregious violations of human rights since @officialABAT appointed him and illegally extended his tenure.
“He was the person who ordered the murders of #EndBadGovernance protesters, he orchestrated the prosecution of minors for treason, he has assisted powerful elites in arresting and jailing their critics, including @delefarotimi whom he abducted from Lagos to Ekiti on behalf of Chief Afe Babalola, SAN.
“Speed Darlington, a musician is languishing in detention because he had a beef with @burnaboy, @IjeleSpeaks2 has spent months in prison now because IGP Egbetokun connived with Evang.
“Chukwuebuka Obi to silence him, and now this lady, Olamide, had to be flown to Abuja because she made Facebook posts about the IGP and @Princemoye1, who’s had personal issues with her in Ogun State.
“IGP Kayode Egbetokun will destroy the Nigeria Police if we don’t act now.”
SaharaReporters also reported that the Nigeria Police Force on Saturday transferred female activist Abiodun Olamide Thomas, who was “abducted” from her home in Lagos State by lawless police personnel to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja.
A human rights advocacy organisation, the Take-It-Back Movement (TIB), which made this known in a post on its social media handle said that Thomas was transported by illegally constituted Nigeria Police Force Courier Service to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport en-route Abuja.
The organisation had said that the activist was moved to Abuja to face an illegal trial “sponsored by President Bola Tinubu through FPRO, Olumuyiwa Adejobi and the IGP.”
There is tension among residents of Ikakumo community in Akoko Northeast local government area of Ondo state over the killing of a herdsman during a clash with vigilance group in the locality.
Two other persons including Commander of the vigilance were injured in the clash.
Some residents in the community said they were afraid of reprisal attacks from the herdsmen.
It was gathered that the clash occurred when a member of vigilance group challenged a herdsman who last month kidnapped one Balogun at Ikakumo community in Edo state.
A fracas ensued between the herdsmen and the vigilance group with one of the herders was stabbed to death.
The two injured persons were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo.
Ondo Police spokesman, Ayanlade Olayinka Olushola, confirmed the incident and said investigation has commenced.
The District Head of Odugbeho in Agatu Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state, Chief Anthony Adejoh has been murdered by suspected armed herdsmen.
Reports have it that the royal father and one Jerry John were gruesomely murdered Wednesday afternoon by the marauders at Otobi-Akpa in Otukpo LGA.
The duo were said to be working in their farms in Otobi when the marauders stormed the area and opened fire on them.
They were later discovered dead when the people who heard the sound of gunshots dashed to the scene and found them dead.
Confirming the development, the Chairman of Agatu LGA, Mr. Marvis Ejeh, said Chief Adejo was gruesomely killed on his farm at Akpa-Otobi by armed herders who invaded the area at about 10 am.
He described late royal father as a peace builder, an astute community builder and a community leader who would be greatly missed by all.
The Chairman said, “I can confirm to you that the district head of Odugbeho, Chief Tony Adej,o has been killed. He was killed by some armed herdsmen while working on his farm at Otobi in Otukpo LGA of the State.
“Despite hearing this ugly news, Odugbeho community is calm, our people are calm because we will not take law into our hands.
“Nobody is taking the law into their hands, there is no need for a reprisal attack because the incident did not happen at home. Agatu is calm and peaceful.”
The Agatu Chairman, who enjoined the people to be security conscious wherever they find themselves said “Agatu people residing and farming in other LGAs should be careful and watchful.
“They should liaise with the local authority and know the areas that are safe to work for now, since the government is trying to curb the issue of insecurity in the entire Benue South District or Zone c.”
Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent, CSP, Chatherine Anene said she had yet received reports of the incident.
The Lagos State Government has announced plans to prosecute 74 individuals apprehended for violating environmental regulations within the state.
According to the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, the suspects were arrested during a coordinated enforcement operation by the state’s Taskforce in the early hours of Tuesday around 1 a.m., targeting key locations across the Lekki axis of Lagos Island.
The enforcement sweep covered areas including the Falomo Bridge, Eko Hotel Roundabout, Oniru Beach, Lekki Phases 1 and 2, and the 1004 Estate. A total of 72 men and two women were taken into custody.
Wahab explained that the operation aimed to restore order and sanitation in the affected areas.
He added that the suspects will face prosecution in accordance with state laws and urged residents to remain law-abiding and committed to maintaining a clean, orderly environment for all.
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