Report By: Dede Uzor A. Uzor
The
Campaign for Democracy (CD) has called on Mr Ballah Nasarawa, Anambra
Police Commissioner to address human rights violation in Special
Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Awkuzu.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The
statement was jointly signed by Dede Uzor A. Uzor and Dr. Jerry
Chukwuokolo, who are the Chairman and Secretary of the group
respectively.
It
said that the inhuman treatment and environment at the state SARS
Headquarters, Awkuzu as well as other SARS unit commands are becoming
unbearable; where human beings are treated like animals.
The
statement said that police officers and men attached to the office had
allegedly engaged in all sorts of corrupt practices including charging
between N20,000 to N50,000 for bail.
``While
it is clear to every Nigerian that bail is free, however, the crop of
officers and men of SARS in the state had refused to follow the
directive of the Inspector-General Police,’’ it said.
The
statement further said that out of the four cells in the office, which
was former defunct Social Democratic Party’s office, none is fit for
human habitation under any guise since a person is presumed innocent
until proved otherwise by a competent court.
``In the four cells; cell 1 contains 52 men arrest through raid and other minor crimes in a small closet.
``While cell 3 and 4 contains 35 alleged hardened crimes, who had spent over two months or more without any court trail.
``Cell 2, has three female, who are living in a highly deplorable condition for a woman,’’ it said.
The statement also urged the state commissioner of police to pay the following SARS offices in the state an unscheduled visit.
``We
are calling for the redeployment of Superintendent of Police James O.
Nwafor to a re-fresher course in order to imbibe the professional tenets
of the modern day policing,’’ it said.
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