A PETITION WRITTEN AGAINST THE NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE CONCERNING THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED ON THE 7TH OF SEPTEMBER @ GRA PH. Good day Sir I am Adedayo Elusakin, a broadcaster with 92.3 Nigeria Info in Port Harcourt. And, this is a petition against the Nigeria Police Force for brutally assaulting my friends and me for no just reason. On Saturday, September 7, 2013, at about 9:00pm, three friends and I – four of us in all - were driving on Nsirim street in GRA Port Harcourt having just visited someone in GRA, when a police Toyota truck, with plate number NPF 7660 C, pulled up next to us (in front of “Enclave”)and with the police men in it shouting at us to stop the car. The driver of the vehicle stopped the car. Next, they shouted that we get out of the car, which we also did. Apparently, that was not enough for them as they kept on shouting and attempting to intimidate us. I approached one of them and asked him why they were shouting at us and what our offense was. A friend who was also asking the same question was shoved against the truck, with the attacking officer demanding that he be cuffed and shoved into the truck. We asked why he was to be cuffed and what his offense was. At that stage, at least one of the police men released the safety of his gun, pointed it at us and threatened to shoot us. At this stage, I realized the situation was getting out of hand. But, unwilling to back down at what I believed to be a gross violation of our rights as law abiding Nigerians, I brought out my phone and decided to get a video recording of the situation. I asked for their I.D. numbers and names. One of them asked me to take down his number. I looked at his chest where the number should be and realized he was wearing a bullet proof vest that covered up the area where it should be – and it was the same for the others as well. Realizing I couldn’t get what I wanted, I walked to their truck, and attempted to get the number plate, and that was when two of the officers pounced on me and beat me up, hitting me on my face severally. Eventually, one of the officers succeeded in getting my phone from me and threw it on the road attempting to sash it, thereby damaging it. All this while, a man had stopped to mediate in the situation. He claimed to be affiliated to the Police. I think he said he was a civilian Police (or something like that). He displayed his I.D. card, and I remember seeing the logo of the NPF on it. He went to the truck, and spoke to someone in the truck who I couldn’t make out. He was to tell us later that the person was the ranking officer. Shortly afterwards, the policemen withdrew to the truck, and drove away. The man who had spoken to them now apologized to us, telling us that he understood our situation having witnessed a lot of what had transpired himself. Dejectedly, we asked him why he did not tell his colleagues they had acted wrongly. He simply pleaded that he had to calm the situation, because he was afraid we might get shot or worse. It was a sad situation, and one of the worst experiences of my life. I would like to note that not at any time did they ask for any identification from us – not even the license of the driver of the vehicle we were in. I also did not feel it necessary to venture any such information. I demand an apology from the Nigeria Police Force. I also demand that these criminals in the Police Force be apprehended and dealt with to the full extent of the law – made an example, thereby serving as a deterrent to other erring members of the Nigeria Police Force. Please, find attached a picture of me after being assaulted, a frozen frame of the truck from the rear with the plate number, and one of the videos I was able to record. Thank you for your anticipated help and action. Regards, Adedayo Elusakin
Posted on: Sun, 08 Sep 2013 13:41:26 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015