Rivers Civil society organisations, RIVSCO has urged the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to redeploy Mustapha Dandaura, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police for complicity in the murder of Ikoku Mechanic, Chima Ikwunado.
The mechanic was tortured to death by the Eagle Crack Unit of the Rivers State Police Command in 19th December after he was arrested with four of his friends; Ifeanyi Onyekwere, Victor Ogbonna, Osaze Friday and Ifeanyi Osuji.
RIVSCO also asked the Police Service Commission to dismiss personnel of the E-Crack team who tortured them.
Mr. Enefaa Georgewill, chairman of RIVSCO told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Monday that the group is demanding that PSC pay for the medical bills of the survivors.
“We call on the IG to redeploy the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, on the following grounds: the E-crack team is the CP’s tactical unit and they are answerable to him.
“His body language does not favour a neutral prosecution of this matter. This is not the first time SP Benson (ex-E-Crack team commander) would be lying to the public without any action from the Commissioner of Police as confirmed by the PPRO Rivers State, DSP Nnamdi Omoni.
“The Police PPRO should resign on grounds of his unprofessionalism and for sending out information without verification. The erring police officers, beginning from SP Benson, should be paraded, their full names made public and prosecution should commence without delay.”
“We also demand that all the property of the ‘Ikoku 5’ collected from them upon their illegal arrest should be returned immediately. Finally, we call on the Nigeria Police Force to come clean in this matter as Nigerians, international organisations and the world are watching.
“Following the failure of the police to do the needful as a result of the revelation of the autopsy conducted on February 10, 2020 on the body of late Chima Ikwunado, and witnessed by all stakeholders, it became clear to us that late Chima Ikwunado died of extreme police torture and brutality for which there is no justification and defence whatsoever.
“What is even most worrisome is the fact that the team of doctors that conducted the autopsy (both from the government and our side) agreed that there was no earlier autopsy conducted on late Chima Ikwunado before February 10, 2020.
“By implication, the police lied to Rivers people and indeed the world about the claim that late Chima Ikwunado died of high blood sugar.
“The arrested police officers have yet to be paraded and their full names displayed for confirmation. The names of Sergeant Rose and Mr. Sam Nnodim are missing on the list of arrested officers making the rounds in public space,” he added.
