Crime
I was framed up, Ex-Deputy Speaker’s son cries out
A Civil Engineer and native of Aji, Enugu Ezike in Igboeze North local government area of Enugu State, Mr. Egiji Atigwe has disclosed that some group of men have turned his community into a den for torture of innocent citizens.
Atigwe therefore asked the Nigeria Security agencies, the human rights commission, the civil Societies and the media to investigate his allegation, stating that he has video proves of his allegation.
He said that it was his disagreement with the alleged torture gang that operates as a vigilante group, and their eviction from his family property that made the group to turn around and asked innocent persons to frame him (Atigwe) up under duress and torture.
A media report based of a torture video had gone viral alleging that Atigwe was a gun rummer for armed robbers and kidnappers, sensationalizing a political dimension on Atigwe’s family other than the crime allegation.
But speaking to newsmen in Enugu, Atigwe, represented by his legal counsel, Chukwuemeka Abuguja, declared the story a false narrative intended for mischief and slander.
He said, “The local security operatives gathered themselves with some torturing equipment and forcefully entered Atigwe family property located at Aji Junction. They were catching people at random with the intention of torturing them and possibly to kill them there. Something similar happened in 2019.
“We saw that as an attempt to kill someone in that property and then start attacking the image of the family. People can’t just come and take over a family property and torture people there with clubs, machetes and guns even without our permission.
“On witnessing this, Egiji asked them out. Fortunately, we have everything on video. Their eviction was not done secretly. Just some weeks after we started noticing sinister moves to set Egiji up or to implicate him.
“Just recently we came across a viral video of one Emenike Egbuike, popularly known as Emzor. His hands were tied back and he was sweating profusely and was talking in a manner that suggested that he was under duress. He said that he was involved in a robbery and my client, Egiji Atigwe, was supplying guns to him.
“So I took my time and enquired from Ugochukwu Asanya because I heard his voice interrogating the boy. I was later told that the boy was in Igboeze North Police station. I requested for the boy and they brought him.
“I interrogated him and he said that he was in front of Aji High School when Ugochukwu Asanya and his team swooped in on him, started beating him from that point. He was torture from 6pm in the evening till 4am the next morning.
“You can see from the video that what they beat people with is logs of wood and not cane. He said that forced him to confess that he is an armed robber and then listed names of the people they want to indict. And they gave him two options, to indict them or he will be killed.
“He said they also made a bonfire and told him that it is either he implicates those persons or he dies in the fire. At that point he accepted to make the confessions to save his own life. If you see his body, you will see the scars of all the things they did to him.”
The lawyer said that the purpose of this whole thing is to defame the character of the Atigwe family.
He narrated that, “The next morning, the another person, Kosi Eya was arrested by the same security outfit who demanded that he mentions Atigwe’s name to corroborate the earlier story. But he refused.
He was able to say no because people were there and they couldn’t possibly kill him in full public glare.
“Till this moment, no exhibit has been recovered from any of these persons who were arrested. Neither has anyone come forward to say he has been kidnapped. At this moment, this case has no complaint.
“I also want to state that no one from the Atigwe family has approached the police to pervert justice. Since the suspects were transferred to anti-kidnapping, no member of the Atigwe family or myself have made any move to pervert justice. I believe investigations will reveal all those involved in this fake story.”
The President General of Aji autonomous Community, Slyverster Ayogu in a telephone interview confirmed that the vigilante group was actually ejected from the Atigwe’s property.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe could not respond to the inquiry made on him over the matter.
I was framed up, Ex-Deputy Speaker’s son cries out
A Civil Engineer and native of Aji, Enugu Ezike in Igboeze North local government area of Enugu State, Mr. Egiji Atigwe has disclosed that some group of men have turned his community into a den for torture of innocent citizens.
Atigwe therefore asked the Nigeria Security agencies, the human rights commission, the civil Societies and the media to investigate his allegation, stating that he has video proves of his allegation.
He said that it was his disagreement with the alleged torture gang that operates as a vigilante group, and their eviction from his family property that made the group to turn around and asked innocent persons to frame him (Atigwe) up under duress and torture.
A media report based of a torture video had gone viral alleging that Atigwe was a gun rummer for armed robbers and kidnappers, sensationalizing a political dimension on Atigwe’s family other than the crime allegation.
But speaking to newsmen in Enugu, Atigwe, represented by his legal counsel, Chukwuemeka Abuguja, declared the story a false narrative intended for mischief and slander.
He said, “The local security operatives gathered themselves with some torturing equipment and forcefully entered Atigwe family property located at Aji Junction. They were catching people at random with the intention of torturing them and possibly to kill them there. Something similar happened in 2019.
“We saw that as an attempt to kill someone in that property and then start attacking the image of the family. People can’t just come and take over a family property and torture people there with clubs, machetes and guns even without our permission.
“On witnessing this, Egiji asked them out. Fortunately, we have everything on video. Their eviction was not done secretly. Just some weeks after we started noticing sinister moves to set Egiji up or to implicate him.
“Just recently we came across a viral video of one Emenike Egbuike, popularly known as Emzor. His hands were tied back and he was sweating profusely and was talking in a manner that suggested that he was under duress. He said that he was involved in a robbery and my client, Egiji Atigwe, was supplying guns to him.
“So I took my time and enquired from Ugochukwu Asanya because I heard his voice interrogating the boy. I was later told that the boy was in Igboeze North Police station. I requested for the boy and they brought him.
“I interrogated him and he said that he was in front of Aji High School when Ugochukwu Asanya and his team swooped in on him, started beating him from that point. He was torture from 6pm in the evening till 4am the next morning.
“You can see from the video that what they beat people with is logs of wood and not cane. He said that forced him to confess that he is an armed robber and then listed names of the people they want to indict. And they gave him two options, to indict them or he will be killed.
“He said they also made a bonfire and told him that it is either he implicates those persons or he dies in the fire. At that point he accepted to make the confessions to save his own life. If you see his body, you will see the scars of all the things they did to him.”
The lawyer said that the purpose of this whole thing is to defame the character of the Atigwe family.
He narrated that, “The next morning, the another person, Kosi Eya was arrested by the same security outfit who demanded that he mentions Atigwe’s name to corroborate the earlier story. But he refused.
He was able to say no because people were there and they couldn’t possibly kill him in full public glare.
“Till this moment, no exhibit has been recovered from any of these persons who were arrested. Neither has anyone come forward to say he has been kidnapped. At this moment, this case has no complaint.
“I also want to state that no one from the Atigwe family has approached the police to pervert justice. Since the suspects were transferred to anti-kidnapping, no member of the Atigwe family or myself have made any move to pervert justice. I believe investigations will reveal all those involved in this fake story.”
The President General of Aji autonomous Community, Slyverster Ayogu in a telephone interview confirmed that the vigilante group was actually ejected from the Atigwe’s property.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe could not respond to the inquiry made on him over the matter.
According to a statement on Friday, the arrested officers are: “AP/No. 207454, ASP Elomore Sodayo; AP/No. 332012, Inspector Adefila Adewale; AP/No. 332449, Inspector Olorunfemi Opeyemi; and AP/No. 332369, Inspector Odusola Peter.”
Speaking at the command headquarters in Akure on Friday, the state Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, said the police had zero tolerance for indiscipline and unprofessional conduct.
He added that a comprehensive investigation had been ordered to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the level of culpability of each officer involved.
He added that officers were expected to conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism, respect human dignity and comply strictly with the Force’s Code of Conduct and Standard Operating Procedures.
“The Nigeria Police Force is a disciplined and professional institution that does not condone any form of misconduct, incivility, or actions capable of undermining public confidence, promoting ethnic division, or bringing the Force into disrepute,” the commissioner said.
He assured the public that the investigation would be conducted to determine the facts of the case, adding that any officer found culpable would face appropriate disciplinary action.
This was said to be part of renewed efforts to tackle insecurity.
Disu gave the directive on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
According to the IG, the order followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive that the persistent insecurity in Benue State must be brought to an end.
He stressed that only authorised security personnel were legally permitted to bear firearms, warning that the era of passive policing was over.
“You cannot move around freely carrying arms as if there is no law and order in this country. It will not be tolerated,” he said.
Disu disclosed that police officers had been empowered under Force Order 237 to respond decisively to armed threats without waiting for directives from superior officers.
“We are tired of losing our men. We are tired of police officers, soldiers, and other members of the security agencies dying anyhow.
“They have been instructed to shoot at sight. They have been trained to do what is necessary. But we will not succeed without the cooperation of all of you.”
He called on residents to support security agencies with credible information, stressing that public cooperation remains critical to the fight against armed criminality.
Benue State has witnessed repeated attacks by armed groups in recent months, resulting in the loss of lives, displacement of residents and destruction of property.
The federal government has continued to deploy additional security personnel and adopt tougher measures aimed at restoring peace in the state.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Fresh fears have gripped residents of Ifite Awka following an alleged plot by suspected gunmen to establish camps in the area where four Fulani herders were killed two days ago.
Security reports indicate that the attack may have been aimed at scaring away visitors to the bush in an attempt to facilitate the establishment of new camps in the area.
Residents recalled that similar tactics had allegedly been used by criminal elements to take over communities, often with the assistance of local collaborators.
The area shares boundaries with Awka North Local Government Area, where there have been reports of gunmen operating in some communities.
Following the development, youths from Ifite Awka have stormed the Ifite Agu area in a manhunt for the suspected gunmen.
The development comes as Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has issued a fresh directive to traditional rulers and President-Generals (PGs) of communities to take charge of the security architecture in their respective areas in conjunction with local security operatives and the mayors of the 21 local government areas.
It was gathered that as early as 5 a.m., some youths in the area had moved into the bushes in search of the suspected gunmen and cattle reportedly missing following the incident.
The youths were accompanied by local hunters who assisted in the search.
Speaking with reporters, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Christian Aburime, confirmed the fresh directive to traditional rulers and President-Generals of communities across the state.
He said, “We have a government that is people-oriented and that is the government of Prof. Charles Soludo, who is a man that loves the people, is at home with the ordinary people and feels their pains.”
Aburime described the incident as unfortunate and urged the police and other relevant security agencies to take immediate action.
He noted that traditional rulers and President-Generals are the first points of contact when it comes to the security of lives and property in their communities, adding that the governor had reiterated his charge to security stakeholders to take control of security in their respective areas.
He, however, said the possibility of sabotage could not be ruled out, but added that it would be premature to draw conclusions before the completion of investigations by the relevant security agencies.
“The issue of sabotage against security in Anambra State cannot be ruled out, and that could just be an attempt to undermine the efforts of the government. But I cannot categorically tell you that it is an act of sabotage. We have to wait for the investigations of the security agencies before drawing conclusions,” he said.
He added that the Agunechemba Security Squad was working to improve security in the state, noting that residents had commended the governor for the improved security situation.
“We have a good security architecture in place, and I can tell you that this could just be an isolated incident. Everything necessary that needs to be done will be done in that regard,” Aburime said.
He stressed that security was the responsibility of everyone, regardless of social status or position.
“It is very simple, and the governor has always said that security is everybody’s business. When it happens, it affects everyone, irrespective of class or position,” he said.
According to him, “The President-Generals and traditional rulers are the first points of security in their communities and should be able to ensure that there is no security breach in their respective localities.”
He urged residents to provide useful intelligence to security agencies, assuring them that their identities would be protected.
“If you see something, say something. These people doing these things are human beings, and they live in the localities. People should be able to know them. They should avail us of intelligence reports, and that will help us fish them out. Your identity will always be protected,” he said.
The Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), CP Ahmed Sanusi, has urged residents, particularly youths, to resist attempts by police officers to search their mobile phones during stop-and-search operations.
Sanusi said such searches violate a directive issued by the Inspector-General of Police, stressing that officers are not permitted to randomly search the phones of members of the public.
The commissioner made the remarks during a press conference shared by News Central Television on Tuesday.
He explained that although mobile phones could be used as evidence in criminal investigations, they should only be examined after a suspect has been lawfully arrested and taken to a police station.
According to him, officers are not authorised to stop people on the road and demand access to their phones merely on suspicion that they may be involved in internet fraud or other criminal activities.
Sanusi urged residents confronted by officers demanding to search their phones to seek assistance by contacting the police emergency line or nearby police officers.
He reaffirmed the FCT Police Command’s commitment to enforcing the Inspector-General’s directive, warning that officers found violating the order would face disciplinary action.
He said the command would continue to take action against officers who abuse their authority or engage in extortion under the guise of conducting stop-and-search operations.
The Cross River State Police Command has arrested a 39-year-old man, Udeme Emmanuel Ekpeme, for allegedly impersonating a medical doctor and defrauding a woman of ₦500,000 under the guise of securing employment for her children at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).
The command’s spokesperson, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists on Tuesday in Calabar.
According to the statement, Ekpeme was arrested by officers attached to the Uwanse Division in Calabar South Local Government Area following a petition by a 45-year-old woman, Mrs Edemawan Samuel.
The complainant alleged that the suspect falsely presented himself as a medical doctor and collected ₦500,000 from her after promising to facilitate employment for her children at UCTH.
Police said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect allegedly used the false representation to deceive the woman into handing over the money.
Relevant exhibits believed to be connected to the alleged offences were also recovered during the investigation, while the suspect remains in police custody.
The police spokesperson said the suspect is being investigated for alleged impersonation, obtaining money by false pretence and unlawful use of medical equipment.
The Commissioner of Police, Rashid Afegbua, has directed detectives to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the full extent of the suspect’s activities and identify any other possible victims or accomplices.
The command said the suspect would be charged to court upon completion of investigations if sufficient evidence is established.
The police assured members of the public that further updates would be provided as the investigation progresses.
The arrest comes weeks after the Edo State Police Command announced the arrest of a 46-year-old man, Osaze Okungbowa, who was accused of impersonating a medical doctor and allegedly delivering babies and trafficking newborns.
The Edo suspect was arrested following a complaint by a woman, Princess Oke, who reported that the baby she delivered under his care had gone missing, leading to a police investigation.
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