NUJ, NBA give police five days ultimatum to discipline erring personnels in Edo
Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ) Edo State Council and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Benin branch have given the Nigeria Police Force(NPF) five days ultimatum to discipline two of its personnel, one DSP Imokhueme Isa and one Woman Police Sergeant Agatha, for their bestial act of a physical assault on members of the bar and the press.
While reacting to the molestation of their members by the aforementioned policeman and woman both attached to the State Taskforce Team on Covid-19 Regulation Enforcement and Monitoring of Human Right Abuse, who paid an unscheduled visit to the Urhokpota Hall, Benin, venue of the Mobile Court two weeks ago, the duo of Sir Roland Osakue,
Chairman, NUJ,
Edo State Council and Prince Collins Ogiegbaen, Chairman of NBA
Benin Branch called on the State Commissioner of Police, Lawan Jimeta, to take disciplinary action against the duo latest by next Tuesday, May 26, 2020, or else other means of redressing the issue would be adopted.
Going further, the duo said: "it is important at this juncture to bring to the attention of the relevant authorities the criminal activities that has become the hallmark of these duo, in the guise of enforcement of the Covid-19 regulations in Benin City.
"DSP Imokhueme has been conducting and supervising raids on peasant traders and carting away their foodstuff ranging from yams, chicken, tomatoes, drinks, fish, crayfish etc, without arresting any human suspected violators to answer to any charge or allegation against them. The food is eventually shared between DSP Imokhueme Isa and his team of enforcer as booties from their unlawful raids.
"This criminal acts of the notorious DSP Imokhueme and his partner, Agatha, was challenged by the NBA Benin Branch Taskforce Team on Covid-19 Regulation Enforcement and Monitoring of Human Right Abuse.
"The Taskforce led by Matthew Edaghese Esq called the attention of the Edo State Attorney General to the ugly and unacceptable development of raids on food items by DSP Imokhueme and his men, the Attorney General frowned at the conduct of the DSP who could not produce the owners of the seized food items upon request by the AG, the Attorney General demanded the immediate release and return of the food items to their owners, wherever they are; a repeat visit of the NBA Taskforce Team during the week, exposed more atrocious conduct of DSP Imokhueme and Agatha, besides conducting raids on food items as usual, Agatha and Imokhueme launched a physical attack on a journalist, attached to the NBA taskforce team and damaged his medicated eye glasses why trying to seize his mobile phone, this was after a pandemonium ensued as a result of the exchanges between a State Counsel, Mrs. Agatha and DSP Imoekhueme, as she tried to call the DSP to order by checking his excesses in making indiscriminate arrests and raids on food items against the Attorney General's earlier warning against it."