Nigeria Police Force and the Act of Torture

NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE AND THE ACT OF TORTURE

In a society where abuse is tolerated and permitted to flourish, the psyche of the citizens tends to be affected. The Nigerian Police Force (NPF), an institution of the government established to protect lives and properties, and to ensure the protection of the fundamental human rights of the citizens has turned out to become an instrument of torture, oppression, intimidation and desecration of the rights of the citizens they are meant to protect.

Even though there is an existing law against the act of torture of any kind against Nigerians in the country, even when such a person is a suspect, the Nigerian Police has carried out its operations without regards to this existing law against torture, as it has engaged in many forms of torture and manhandling of Nigerian citizens they perceive to be suspects or are paid to incriminate as suspects as to justify their inhuman act of torture perpetuated on a daily basis against law abiding citizens of the country.

The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Echeng Eworo, and the Commander of Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu command, Mr. Patrick Emeka Agbazue cannot claim to be ignorant of the existing laws against torture when they sanctioned the manhandling and torture against Mr. Alex Ekwuagana, the President General of Abba Town Union and a Director in the office of the Auditor General of Anambra State, having been financially induced by Prince Arthur Eze, to intimidate and oppress Mr. Alex Ekwuagana on trumped up charges just to put fear into the people of Abba community from continuing in their land dispute legal matter with the people of Ukwulu/Ukpo communities spearheaded by the money-miss-road, Prince Arthur Eze of Ukpo community.

Maybe Mr. Echeng Eworo and Mr. Patrick Emeka Agbazue need to be educated that according to the Anti-Torture Act, 2017 of Nigeria, specifically in Section I, it states that, “It is the obligation of the government to ensure that all persons, including suspects, detainees and prisoners are respected at all times and that no person under investigation or held in custody is subjected to any form of physical/mental torture. It admonishes government to adhere to domestic and international standard in absolute condemnation and prohibition of torture”.

In section 8 of the same Act, it states that, “Penalties provides that a person who commits torture shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment to a term of 2years”. Section 7(1) and (2) also concurs with the provisions of Section 1 and 8 of this Act.
In light of the above, it shows that the Nigerian Police by making itself an instrument of torture through the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Echeng Eworo and the Commander of RRS, Awkuzu command, Mr. Patrick Emeka Agbazue against Mr. Alex Ekwuagana will soon be facing charges of torture in the court committed against Mr. Alex Ekwuagana, and there are overwhelming evidences to substantiate their act of torture against Mr. Alex Ekwuagana, a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and this may eventually land both perpetuators of torture in prison for 2years at the end of the day.

The Anambra State Police Command should begin to assemble her legal team to defend the charges of torture committed by two principal police officers under it against Mr. Alex Ekwuagana at the appropriate time, as to serve as a deterrent to them and their cohorts who have subjected themselves to instruments of oppression and intimidation against the people of Abba community through the dictates of their paymaster, Prince Arthur Eze, who takes delight in hobnobbing in acts of illegality because of his acclaimed wealth and connection in higher places. The long arm of the law will not spare them this time around as the people of Abba are legally battle ready to put a final stop to these acts of intimidation and torture against her people which has become a recurrent action.

Azowue O. Emmanuel
(Pen of the gods)