Constantine Pius, a Rivers State resident, has narrated how some officers from the police station at Airport Road in Port Harcourt arrested his neighbour “for refusing to follow them to their station” on October 16.
Pius told FIJ that the officers arrested his neighbour, whose name he did not want to mention for security reasons, and quickly fabricated a story that he fought them during a stop-and-search operation.
He said that his neighbour had left his home for a nearby retail store on Sunday morning when the officers, who had no name tags, accosted him.
After he was surrounded by the officers, they demanded to search him.
“He asked the officers why they wanted to search him, but this infuriated them. He later gave in to the officers’ demands, but they still would not let him go,” Pius told FIJ.
THE ASSAULT THAT FOLLOWED
The policemen then ordered Pius’ neighbour to enter their vehicle, but he refused.
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In anger, the police officers physically assaulted his neighbour and then forced him into their vehicle.
Pius said some motorcycle riders, who were friends with his neighbour in the area, would come to inform him and the vicim’s father of what was going on and they quickly rushed to the scene.
“I was trying to have a conversation with one of the officers, but he threatened to beat me. They all threatened to beat me if I asked any more questions,” Pius said.
@Princemoye1 When will this nonsense stop? my neighbor has been picked up for absolutely nothing. How do you stop someone ask to search him, found nothing and still forcefully take him away. They shot at a guy videoing them, beat another up for videoing. pic.twitter.com/X4gT6aMdk3— Pius (@ConstantinePius) October 16, 2022
“They forced my neighbour to enter their unbranded car. When he resisted, they started hitting him with the side of their guns.”
He said the police officers were so violent that they beat up anyone who dared to take a video of their actions.
Pius said the officers also beat up a passer-by who they thought was making videos of them.
“It turned out that the guy was just making a phone call to someone,” he said.
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“They also shot at another guy who was indeed making videos of them, but he was fortunate the bullet did not hit him.”
48 HOURS AFTER, STILL IN CUSTODY
Pius said his neighbour has remained in police custody since his arrest by the officers on Sunday – an action that is totally unconstitutional.
He said that, as of Tuesday morning, the police had yet to say anything about bail conditions.
When FIJ contacted Grace Woyengikuro Iringe-Koko, the police spokesperson for the state, she said she was not sure the officers being referred to are from any command within the state.
“I don’t know if the officers in question are from Rivers Command. Let them come to my office, please. I cannot be saying something when I can’t pinpoint to know who committed the offence that day,” she said.
“Nobody has come up to say someone was arrested in line with what was posted on Twitter. Someone should communicate with me.”
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