Anambra Community Petitions IG Over Alleged Police Harassment, Intimidation

Aggrieved leaders and members of Isuaniocha community, Awka North council area of Anambra state, have petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, urging him to save them from the unwholesome activities of one Inspector Bitrus Dauda, attached to Homicide Dept, Force CID, Abuja, against some of their members. 

They made the call in Awka, the state capital, while addressing newsmen over allegations that the said Inspector Dauda has made himself a willing tool in the hands of some unnamed "...persons who are bent on destroying Isuaniocha Community over their selfish interest." 

Former President General of the Community, Chief Tony Onyeagolu, told newsmen that a certain human right defender is also being paid by certain wanted persons in the community to speak on their behalf without revealing the identities of those he claimed to be Isuaniocha indigenes.

According to him, while the entire Community is having series of meetings and consultations on how to achieve lasting peace, the same bad eggs in the town were busy laying unconfirmed allegations and briefing newsmen at Abuja by proxy.

He therefore called on the Inspector General of Police to Investigate the petition that brought Inspector Betrus Dauda to Anambra on July 5, to arrest some persons who were already appearing and defending their attempted murder case in State High Court Awka.

Inspector Dauda, he alleged, has been in the habit of duplicating case papers of an ongoing matter in court to harass, intimidate and arrest law-abiding citizens of the community just because they refused to thwart the truth.

”Inspector Bitrus Dauda was duplicating the case charge and adding people’s names, arresting and dumping them in the state CID Awka even after the late DIG Egbunike warned him then, to desist from further actions in Isuaniocha that time.

”We were surprised that on the 5th of July 2023, Inspector Dauda came down to Awka and arrested two of us as we were coming out from the State High Court and claimed the petition with him was filled in 2020, so we began to wonder how he would be arresting persons over a matter he had investigated and case charged to court. Let the IGP look into this matter”

The call for the IGP to look into the activities of Inspector Dauda, Onyeagolu added, is so that he will not continue to be used by some bad elements to cause disaffection in Isuaniocha, especially now that peace is in sight after a resolution by the entire Community.

The community members also called on the Anambra state governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, to look into the multiple appeals and petitions against his commissioner for Homeland Affairs, Mr Chikodi Anara and consider re-assigning him to another position that is not security related as he has been using it for personal vendetta.

Another respondent, Mr Moses Emebo, who expressed shock over the acts of Inspector Dauda, appealed to the new Inspector General of Police and the Anambra state government to critically evaluate all the claims and evidence on Isuaniocha crises with a view to saving member's lives and property.

”I want peace in Isuaniocha. Let the IGP, CP Homicide, the governor, investigate the Isuaniocha matter. Whoever that is involved in committing the crimes, even if it is me, should go in for it. that is my take.”

While commending the relative peace in the community, Mr Emeka Maduka, one of the community leaders, regretted however, that a former youth leader he identified as Onyemazi Ngini, the AVG, led by Chikodi Anara and other elements, were being mobilized to destabilize the town despite that majority of the people, including elders, Ozo titled men, women and youths have all decided to embrace peace.

One of the titled leaders of the community and Chairman, Ozo in Council, Chukwudi Nweke- Onuorah, told newsmen that the latest peace move initiated by the Onyeagolu family, which all the people embraced, will no doubt lead to lasting peace in the Community, adding that there was no need for anyone or any group to start duplicating and complicating issues when the people were already resolving every matter in the interest of peace.