Lawyer Alerts IGP On Tortures In Police Cells

The Inspector–General of Police (IGP), Mr. Hafiz Ringim, has been asked to put a stop to the various human right abuses in police stations throughout the country.

In a petition sent to the police boss and copied to the National Human Rights Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Adoke Mohammed, Lagos-based lawyer and property consultant, Chief Gabriel Giwa-Amu, complained of the inhuman treatment meted on detainees in police cells across the country and called on the police boss to call his men to order.

Citing the case of a vulcaniser, Dare Oguneko, 26, who was randomly picked up on the street by the police after a robbery incident at Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State and tortured to implicate himself in the robbery, Chief Giwa-Amu said this obsolete method of investigating crimes should be discarded by the Nigeria police.

“Apart from the inefficiency on the part of those saddled with the responsibility of executing the law, reports abound of innocent victims being picked up at random by policemen to bear the brunt whenever a robbery incident occurs.

“Sections 34 and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria state that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty and every person is entitled to dignity of human person,” he stated.

The case of Oguneko was brought to the notice of the lawyer by the Director of Operations of Stephen and Solomon Foundation, Mr. Steve Ogwu-Chinuwa, who is offering free legal services for Oguneko who is being detained by the police.

Investigations revealed that Oguneko and others were arrested on 26 February, 2011 around 6 p.m. at a robbery scene at Oja Ojujumo in Ago-Iwoye by policemen at the Abobi Police Station, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria.

Others arrested were identified as Niyi Yemi and Biola Gbadebo.

The police, it was learnt, arrested everyone found in sight after the suspects had disappeared.

Despite their protest that they were innocent, Oguneko and the others were beaten, dragged on the floor littered with sharp gravel which made them to bleed profusely from the wounds for several hours.

Oguneko, P.M.NEWS gathered, was not attended to for eight days before he was charged before the Ago–Iwoye Magistrate’s Court and remanded in prison custody when he could not fulfil the conditions attached to his bail.

Lawyers at the Stephen and Solomon Foundation in collaboration with the Knights of St. Mulumba, Lekki Sub-Council, led by Sir Patrick Ikemefuna, the Metro Grand Knight of the Order are currently trying to secure freedom for Dare.

Giwa-Amu also revealed that over 1,085 Nigerians, including foreigners have so far benefitted from the free legal representation offered by these bodies.