OKO POLICE STATION: NOPRIN calls for thorough investigation on DPO's discreditable acts

By Ediri Ejoh

ANAMBRA: National Coordinator of Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN), Mr Okechukwu Nwanguma, has called on the Complaints Rapid Response Unit of the Nigeria Police Force to carry out a thorough investigation into the perversion of justice, unlawful detention, extortion and sexual abuse of a female detainee complaint against the DPO of Oko Police Station, Ignatius Attah, by Vanguard Journalist, Bartholomew Madukwe.


In a letter dated May 30, 2017 and signed by NOPRIN's National Coordinator, the DPO was said to have on May 27 unlawfully put Madukwe in the cell for eight hours, after he made a complaint of assault against one Ugochi.


According to the letter, the DPO made sexual advances towards a female detainee by touching her breasts, held her hand and attempted to pull her towards his office, but she forced her hand off his grips and he went into his office alone.


The letter also stated that the female detainee was escorted to her house by one of the officers, at the order of the IPO- Inspector Yanaka, to pick up her ATM card and was then taken to an ATM machine where she was asked to withdraw the sum of twelve thousand naira (N12, 000), N10, 000 being for bail and N2000 for the Counter.


NOPRIN noted that the conducts of the DPO, IPO and other officers at the Oko Police Station are discreditable and unbecoming of members of the NPF in the 20th century. 


"They bring the image of the police to disrepute and undermine the effort of the IGP to stamp out corruption, abuse, undisciplined and unprofessional conducts which further erode public trust and cooperation," Nwanguma added.