..… police claim suspects were arrested in an identified hard drug black-spot
By Ibe Pascal
Hours after Crimefacts.news reported how some policemen assaulted two youths with cutlass in Owerri, the Imo State commissioner of police, Mohammed Barde has directed an orderly room trial on the erring officers.
The command’s spokesperson in the State, Henry Okoye who spoke to our reporter on Friday evening said the incident happened at Uratta, in Owerri Imo State on Thursday.
Okoye claimed the two assaulted youths were suspects arrested in an identified hard drug black-spot, unlawfully in possession of weeds suspected to be Cannabis Sativa and ‘Crystal Meth’ hard drugs.
He said, “Upon diligent observation of this viral obscene video, the officers were identified to be a detachment of one of the Command’s Tactical teams comprising of six (6) Police Officers led by Inspector Sunday Amadi who unfortunately was seen in the video assaulting the suspects with a cutlass.
“They have been defaulted for Discreditable/Unprofessional Conduct, Improper Dressing, Incivility to and Assaulting the duo suspects; who were arrested in an identified hard drug black-spot, unlawfully in possession of weeds suspected to be Indian Hemp and ‘Crystal Meth’ hard drug. I.e. methamphetamine aka ‘Mpuru Mmiri’, with a ‘Cutlass’ which is not one of Police accoutrement while trying to apprehend them.
Speaking further, “While investigation continues, The Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde PSC(+) , who is a disciplinarian and defender of fundamental human right has ordered that prompt Orderly Room Trial should commence against the erring officers and that necessary disciplinary actions be taken if found guilty.
“Members of the public are advised to remain calm as further development on the orderly room trial and disciplinary actions will be communicated back to them.
Crimefacts news had reported how some policemen in Imo State assaulted two youths with cutlass for refusing them access to their phones.
The incident is coming about two days after the police arraigned an officer who allegedly killed a man in Delta State over his refusal to give N100 bribe.
According to a video that has gone viral on social media, the armed police officers were filmed using a machete to smack two unidentified people in Imo State.
In the 45 seconds clip, five officers are seen assaulting the two people in an open space while a sixth officer pulled out a machete from a parked SUV believed to be a police operational vehicle.
The sixth officer is captured in the video, smacking the two people multiple times with the machete.
“Which kind country be dis?” said a background voice in the video.
“Omo, see as him dey cut-am with cutlass! Which kind nonsense be dis?
“See wetin police dey do for Owerri”.
A Twitter user who posted the video on 20 April on the microblogging site said the victims are students of the Imo State University who refused to allow the officers search their phone.
