IIP-SARS Gives Police Six-Day Ultimatum Over Whereabouts Of One John Emeka Alozie In Their Custody

The Independent Investigation Panel on Human Rights Violations by the defunct SARS and other units of the Nigerian Police Force on Tuesday gave the Police a six-day ultimatum within which to explain why it refused to comply with the Panel’s order to produce the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) legal in the Force Headquarters to answer questions over the case of alleged arbitrary arrest and detention of one John Emeka Alozie.

The Police are also requested to produce Inspectors Obiazo, Sunday Okpe and Uzo Emeana of defunct SARS Awkuzu, Anambra state and police case file on the matter to aid the panel to establish the whereabouts of the victim on the 7th of March, 2022 being the next adjourned date for the matter.

A member of the panel, Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN) who made this order while presiding on behalf of the Chairman, Justice Suleiman Galadima (rtd) noted that the matter had suffered over five adjournments on the instance of the Police.

In view of the foregoing, he ruled that the Police should “show cause” why they have not obeyed the extant order of the panel on the 7th of March, 2022.

Earlier, a team of counsel to the panel led by Chino Obiagwu reminded the panel that there was also an order for the production of properties carted away from the victim’s house and that till date none of those orders was obeyed.

Counsel to the Police, Kenneth Egbuchua had pleaded with the panel for more time to enable the Police comply with the said orders.

It would be recalled that the retired Supreme Court jurist, Justice Galadima had in December last year pronounced that, “The Deputy Commissioner of Police Legal owes the nation an explanation in this matter.”

Consequently, Obiagwu (SAN) had informed that he together with the Police lawyer, Egbochua and the panel’s Secretary, Mr Hilary Ogbonna, called DCP Legal but he did not respond to the call.

Following the development, they then called ACP Asuquo, who was a Member of the legal team that investigated the matter, yet no fruitful result was achieved.

The victim, John Emeka Alozie was allegedly arrested and detained by the Police since 2017 and his family is seeking to unravel his whereabouts before the panel.

The respondents in the petition are Mr Obiazo SARS Awkuzu, Anambra State, Mr Uzo Emeana SARS, Awkuzu, Anambra State and Sunday Okpe, Commissioner of Police Anambra state and the Inspector General of Police.

In the same vein, the panel adjourned three other petitions till 7th of March, 2022 following the absence of the respondents.

The adjourned petitions are death in custody, arbitrary arrest and detention, unlawful use of firearm resulting in extra-judicial killing, abuse of office brought by Chief Peter Ikechi, Peter Ekwealor (deceased), Mr Ekene Okona and Members of the Odekpe Community in Anambra state against CSP Danjuma Ochejeh Delta state Police Command, Personnel of IGP-IRT FHQ Abuja and three others.

· Enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrest, unlawful detention and denial of access to justice brought by Lukman Salihu against SP Christopher of defunct SARS FCT, Commissioner of Police FCT and the Inspector General of Police.

· Alleged extra-judicial killing of Patrick Oche filed by Mercy Patrick against IPO defunct SARS FCT, OC defunct SARS FCT, Commissioner of Police FCT, and Inspector General of Police.