From Ifeoma Ejiofor
The former President General (PG) of Obiofia community in Nnewichi-Nnewi, Anambra State, Chief Ibe Okonkwo Michael (Ifeutor Anaedo) has commended the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Egbetokun Adeolu Kayode for warning operatives against forum shopping in the prosecution of illegal cases.
Ifeutor Anaedo who was speaking with journalists said that the IGP’s condemnation of the atrocious act is a welcomed development noting that many innocent people have been clamped into detention cells and prisons for no just cause.
He noted that the bad eggs in the police force are not interested in enforcing justice but are only eager to line their pockets.
“I am really excited about the comments credited to the IGP, because I have suffered immensely in the hands of bad eggs among them, once they are given money, nothing matters again, their primary interest would be to make their victims go to prison or prolonged detention.
“I am a victim of what the IGP condemned inspite of my position as a popular community leader and I commend him for that. If I can be subjected to such humiliation on the grounds of flimsy petitions, then there is no hope for the common man.
“My appeal to the IGP is that he should back his words with action and ensure that there is stiff punishment for men and officers as well as their collaborators who are embarking on forum shopping just to get innocent persons jailed at all costs.
“My father won a case in Nnewi High Court in 2011, when the operatives went for execution in 2013, my opponents said that they have appealed the judgement gotten by my father who has gone to be with the Lord. Interestingly, my opponents appeal was thrown out for lack of merit.
“Since then, my opponents in collaboration with certain bad eggs in the police force have not allowed me to have peace, they move from one level of police hierarchy to groups and or squad, they have hired many people to damage my reputation. In fact, they have dragged me to more than ten police units, divisions and squads but in all, I am always given clean bill of health whenever the superior officers look at my documents.
“Infact, my opponents empowered a young man with a pump action gun to assassinate me, but unfortunately, he was arrested by the community vigilante, he was taken to Rapid Response Squad (RRS) interestingly, the gun was collected from the boy and he was granted bail the same day, inspite of the weight of the allegations against him.
“I actually told them at Awkuzu that Zone 13 Ukpo is already handling the matter, the next thing my opponents did was to write a petition to STC Abuja, what I saw in the few days I spent in Abuja really got me worried before men of good will intervened.
“I will not want to talk about the nitty gritty of the matter because the case is still in court but I must commend the IGP, if he backs up his words with action, then Nigerians can start dreaming of a brand new police force that compete favourably with their contemporaries in othe countries,” Ifeutor Anaedo asserted.