By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City
The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Edo State has called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc, to immediately redeploy the Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP, Abutu Yaro due to what it described as an unacceptable mode of operation of the Police Commissioner and his men in the State.
In a press conference organised in Benin City, the Edo State capital, the spokesperson to the group, Comrade Marxist Kola Edokpayi told Journalists that the attention of the Organisation has been drawn to the numerous human rights abuses by some officers and men of the Edo State Police Command under the watch of the Edo State Police Commissioner, CP Abutu Yaro while paying no attention to the numerous complaints of extortion, intimidations, molestation and harassment of innocent citizens by tactical teams of his command.
According to Comrade Edokpayi, ” the attention of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisation in Edo State has been drawn to the numerous human rights abuses by some officers and men of the of the Edo State police Command under the directive and supervision of the Edo State police commissioner, CP Abutu Yaro while he pays no attention to the numerous complaints of extortion, intimidations, molestation and harassment of innocent citizens by his tactical teams ”
Comrade Edokpayi observed that, ” it is on record that several petitions had been written, and physical representations were made, all in attempt to dialogue with the CP with a view to mitigate the trend that led to the ugly incidence of EndSars protest”.
He said, the unwarranted incessant but deliberate “raids and pick of innocent citizens and subsequent detention and unlawful demand for money for bail by the tactical teams is a grand ploy to reap off Edo people “.
Comrade Edokpayi further stated that , “CP Abutu Yaro
is also noticed to be interested in the parade of suspects who refused to part with the demands of the police in less than 10 hours of their arrest thereby defaming innocent people in the process”
He cited the case of one Dr Innocent Ebosele and 29 others who were said to have been arrested on the 6th of July, 2022, at Iyaro on a random raid by men of the Cultism Unit, one of the tactical teams.
According to him, ” these arrested persons were later, in less than 10 hours of their arrest, paraded on the 7th of July, 2022 and arraigned on the 8th of July 2022 at the Benin High Court, Criminal division, Sapele Road, Benin City”.
He said, ” some of these individuals were arrested at the Motor park where they were eating at the Oando Filling Station while some others were arrested while waiting for their waybill goods.
According to him, ” the trend portend grave danger as the 2nd anniversary of the widespread EndSars protests draws close, stressing that if the police actions are not immediately corrected, such could possibly lead to brake down of law and order, he concluded.
In reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer( PPRO) Chidi Nwanbuzor said, “I will speak on the issue another time” .