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“Police tagged me an unknown gunmen, I want justice”
From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
A youth development advocate and Founder, Centre for Strategic Leadership and Youth Orientation (CENSTLEYO), Imah Felix Emeka has cried out for justice following the brutal treatment meted on him by security forces comprising the police and soldiers at Inyi and Awlaw all in Oji River Local government area, Enugu state.
Felix who hails from Awlaw Community, Enugu state resides in Nnewi, Anambra State where he is also the Chief Executive Officer, First Class Digital Investments Ltd.
Through CENSTLEYO with branches in 13 states of Nigeria and Abuja, he has galvanised thousands of youths into transformative leadership and skills acquisition towards self reliance.
Narrating the incident to journalists yesterday, Felix who had also facilitated various empowerment projects to his home people through the Awlaw Strategic Community Development Initiative stated that trouble started on Thursday 29th February, 2024 around 7am in Awlaw community, Oji River LGA while he was conveying a sick person to the hospital.
He said that on approaching the check point at Inyi Divisional Police headquarters manned by both police and army personnel, he stopped until he was given the signal to move ahead. Surprisingly, when he moved forward, a policeman identified as ASP Celestine stopped him asking him whether he had passed there before now.
“On trying to comprehend what the policeman was saying and explaining to him that I was conveying a sick person to the hospital, he left me and started attending to the person behind me. Thinking that his leaving me was a nod for me to proceed, I moved the vehicle unknown to me that he mobilised to chase me. I had accelerated up to two poles ahead when I heard gunshots before being double crossed by a Hilux van and forcing me to stop.
“They commanded me to return my car to the checkpoint spot and my continuous pleading for them to allow me get the sick person to the hospital fell on deaf ears.
“They threatened to gun me down if I hesitate further. On getting down from the vehicle at their command, they descended on me, slapping me ferociously and also tore my belt and used it to flog me mercilessly. When I requested to speak to their DPO or any other superior officer who might actually tell them who I am, they refused.
“They tagged me an unknown gunmen and threatened to shoot me to death if I don’t behave well and they continued inflicting various injuries on me. The also smashed and seized my phone and tried pushing me to their cell which I resisted.”
“They did similar thing to me in January when I came home over the death of my elder brother. In that incident, when they realised their mistakes, the DPO personally led some of the community stakeholders to beg me to allow the matter pass by after apologising to me.
“When I requested to see the DPO, they blocked me and I told them that this brutality and oppression against innocent citizens which they have perfected its act doesn’t happen in any other area in the country apart from Igbo land because I travel across all parts of the country.
“My traditional ruler, Igwe Samuel Uka came to the scene for intervention and they even alleged that the council chairman of Oji River gave them licence to do what they are doing.
“When the policeman identified as Celestine later realised my personality, he called and was apologetic but I refused to listen to him since they have given me serious bodily harm and injuries.
“But a top legislator from my place called me and told me that intelligence report at his disposal shows that the security forces in Oji River have marked my person and my car and that henceforth all police and army checkpoints within Oji River will be manhandling me anywhere they see me since I’m proving stubborn.
“Surprisingly, I have been friendly with them before now whenever I visit home.”
“To prove the intelligence report from the legislator correct, I was therefore coming back from where we went to have lunch the next day Friday 1st March 2024 when the army checkpoint at my area in Awlaw along the Inyi-Awlaw road ordered me to stop and suddenly became hostile. The soldier on getting to me gave me punches and slapped me too. The team descended on me again with wooden 2 by 2 planks until one of my townsmen got to that place and raised alarm.
“He told them that it was highly unfortunate that a prominent son of the community will go several places unmolested only to be made a victim in his own town. It was when they heard the man talk like this about me that they relented.
2I’m wondering the sudden hostile disposition of the officers towards me if not that they were sent on a killer mission to eliminate me.” He lamented.
While calling for justice, Felix demanded that the police authorities should fish out the officers who brutalised him and ensure that appropriate disciplinary measures are meted on them.
Though presently receiving medical attention for the injuries inflicted on him, he also called for a proper public reorientation among the police wondering what members of the public may be passing through in the hands of the police across different police formations in the southeast.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Command, Daniel Ndukwe when contacted advised Imah to do a formal petition over the matter to the police authorities so that it can be handled appropriately. He said the command does not condone any form of inappropriate conduct among its men and officers.
