Pascal Arogorn Ibe
The human right defender Nigeria (HURIDE) had written petition to the office of the police commissioner in Anambra over assault by one inspector Benson Kingsley to ASP Geoffrey Onyeatu.
Dede Uzor. A. Uzor the rights group’s executive director sent the petition exclusively to Crimefactts.mews on Sunday.
The petition below:
April 19, 2021
The Commissioner of Police,
State Police Headquarters,
Awka.
Dear Sir,
RE: INHUMAN ACTS METED AGAINST ASP GODFREY ONYEATU BY INSPECTOR BENSON KINGSLEY (A.K.A. ABLE KING)
A CALL FOR JUSTICE
We are constrained to write you following the chilling account of a police officer, ASP Godfrey Onyeatu, attached to B Division of the Anambra State Police Command, Awka, to our organisation at the police medical centre situate at Central Police Station, Awka, during our routine humanitarian visit to hospitals in Awka yesterday, the 18th day of April, 2021, of the barbarism and violence meted to ASP Onyeatu by his junior, one Inspector Benson Kingsley, a.k.a. able king.
We are informed that sequel to the standing threat to life of police officers and police stations, as well as the wave of wanton destruction of police stations and public property in Anambra State, by unknown gunmen and criminal groups, as has been recorded recently, a buffer area was determined by the DPO of the B Division of the police, CSP Sani Ahmed, who issued instructions to all police officers of the division to be on high alert and vigilant to guard against any breach of the buffer point by strange and unauthorized persons.
This is to ensure the protection of the Division as well as its officers and men from any such attacks.
Pursuant to the above, ASP Godfrey Onyeatu, while on official duty assigned to him to this effect as the head of the police team, on 11th day of this month, observed a breach of the buffer area by a vehicle parked by five (5) unknown men close to the division at about 11.30 p.m. (23:30 hours) on the said day, which exposed the Division and the entire police team to danger of possible attack, approached the vehicle and its occupants and warned them to vacate the area.
In a bizarre display of sheer insubordination, disciplinary conduct, and crude violence, Inspector Kingsley, who is also among the team on duty on the said day, allegedly dealt an elbow blow to ASP Onyeatu, his senior, and set upon him, while charging at him not to disturb the five unknown men who he claimed are his friends. As we write, ASP Onyeatu is currently hospitalized and receiving treatment at the police medical centre, Awka aforesaid since two days ago following the bout of seizure suffered by him as a result of the unprovoked violent attack inflicted on him by the said Inspector Kingsley.
We also learnt that inspector Kingsley has acquired the notoriety for disobeying and insulting other senior police officers claiming that he has a ‘godfather’ in the Force who will always protect him over his continued unpolicemanly activities.
Permit us to profoundly commend the DPO of the Division, CSP Sani, who did not sweep the matter under the carpet but rather exhibited courage and zero tolerance to such reprehensible and unprofessional conduct of Inspector Kingsley – an act unbecoming of a police officer – by swiftly initiating disciplinary action against Inspector Kingsley in transferring him out of the Division to Achalla police station.
We are further informed of the rambunctious braggadocio of the said Inspector Kingsley of his higher police contacts and connections which he would deploy to ensure his return back to B Division of the police, Awka sooner than later. True to his braggadocio, Inspector Kingsley, in spite of his said transfer, is still seen loitering around the Division boasting that no one, not even your high office, can sanction or transfer him out of the B Division – or any other police station for that matter.
We have deemed it pertinent to draw your attention to the above and also request that you order a thorough investigation into the above with the view of meting out strong and appropriate disciplinary action to any whom your investigation establishes a prima facie culpability against to serve as a deterrent to others.
This will indeed attest more eloquently to the fact of your laudable determination to ensure strict professionalism and zero tolerance to such unbecoming acts among the officers and men under your command.
Accept our most esteemed regards to your office, please.
Signed:
Dede Uzor A. Uzor
Executive Director, HURIDE
Signed:
Comrade Unah Zacheaus Oledi
Campaign and Publicity Secretary, HURIDE
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