30th December, 2023
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
A mother resident in Port Harcourt, Sunday Ndipmong, has raised alarm over the disappearance of her 20-year-old son, Victor Sunday, from police custody hours after he was arrested last Saturday,
Sunday was arrested by operatives of Mile 1 Police Division for allegedly stealing an undisclosed amount of money from his boss who is a dealer in biscuits, according to the mother.
Mrs Sunday Ndipmong disclosed that her son was arrested at his boss’s home when he took him there after she learnt about the theft allegation against him.
She said police did not allow her to follow them to their station when they took ther son away.
She explained that to her surprise, some police officers also called her that they had also arrested her daughter and taken her to Mile 1 Police station,Port Harcourt.
Mrs Sunday disclosed that she went to the police station, her daughter was released after she was compelled to write statement that her son escaped from Police station custody.
Mrs Sunday expressed shock that the Investigation Police Officer,IPO, has been disturbing her to produce her son.
However, she claimed she has not seen her son after his arrest by the Police.
Mrs Sunday Ndipmong asked the publlc to come to her aide to ensure that police produced her aon.
Meanwhile, IK Alexander, the Chairman of Centre for Basic Rights Protection And Accountability Campaign has faulted the IPO for intimidating and shifting responsibility of providing the suspect to the mother.
Alexander said it is the responsibility of the Police to protect every suspect in their custody.
He added that the Investigating Police Officer should produce the suspect rather than shifting his responsibility to the mother of the suspect.
There is apprehension by the parents of Victor Sunday over his safety following claims by the Police that he escaped from their custody.
The parents are fervently praying that the notorious case of the Ikokwu four saga does not repeat itself with Victor Sunday.
It would be recalled that almost in a similar manner when the now disbanded notorious Eagle Crack Unit that was domiciled at Mile One Police Station in December 2019 arrested and tortured to death Chima Ikwunado among the popular Ikokwu four motorsports dealers.
After a long-drawn fundamental human rights legal battle, a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt ordered the Police to pay three billion Naira (N3Billion) to Victor Ogbonna, one of the famous Ikokwu-Four spareparts traders in Port Harcourt.
Justice Daylop ordered the Police to pay the said sum for rights violation in a suit filed by Victor Ogbonna against the Inspector General of Police and eight others for torture, abuse, and violation of his fundamental human rights.
Recall that In December 2019, Chima Ikwunado, Victor Ogbonna, Osaze Friday, Ifeanyi Osuji, and Ifeanyi Onyekwere were arrested for driving against traffic. One of them, Chima Ikwunado, a mechanic died in custody after he was allegedly tortured by officers of the disbanded E-Crack squad.
At the time of filing this report, the Rivers State Police Command has not reacted to incident.