Tina Amanda
As more petitioners testify before the Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Police brutality, one Fubara Briggs has demanded justice for his late colleague and friend, Monday Burabari, and the sum of two hundred million naira to be paid as compensation by Nigerian Agip Oil Company to the deceased family.
In his testimony, 72 year old Fubara Briggs who was the Chairman, Department of Spy Police Agip Oil Company Port Harcourt, told the panel that late Monday Burabari was tortured brutally on June 21st, 2012, by Officers of Borokiri Police Station led by Akin Fakorede, for writing a petition against the Management over alleged looting of security vote funds.
According to him, the Agip Managing Director Fiorello Lorenzo invited late Monday Burabari from Omoku Agip office to the Agip base Port Harcourt, where he was stripped naked and beaten severely before being arrested and detained in Borokiri Police Station with the much injury he sustained.
He told the panel that his friend died from the internal injuries and health complications sustained from the police brutality, because he could not meet up with medical treatment after he was unlawfully laid off from Agip in 2015.
Briggs said the Inspector General of Police had earlier addressed the issue of Spy Police and Agip security vote funds, that police officers attached to the company have nothing to do with the fund as it is solely for Agip Spy Security.
He demanded that the Police Officers whom Agip management used to brutalize late Monday Burabari should be prosecuted and compensation paid to the family of the deceased.
Also, a victim of SARS brutality, Festus Osiago who appeared in crutches as a result of spinal cord injury, partial loss of memory amongst other illnesses sustained from his fall of a two story building while being chased by SARS Officers at his former residence at about 8pm on 13th July, 2018, demanded justice.
In his testimony his former Landlord, Blessed Young Beke called SARS on him for writing petition to the Commissioner of Police against the landlord’s younger brother, Peace Beke, whom he alleged brought armed robbers to rob tenants in compound.
Osiago told the panel in tears, that his landlord Blessed Young Beke also petitioned him to SARS for him to close the matter he reported to Commissioner of Police against his younger brother.
“When I was invited to the SARS office after explaining the situation to them, they faulted Young Beke for being guilty of what I accused the brother of. He told them I should close the case that he will handle it amicably, I refused to close the matter until it is investigated by the police.
“He began to threaten me that he will deal with me if I do not close the case, until that fateful evening when SARS Officers invaded my house in company of my landlord, young Beke, I climbed my ceiling, the SARS Officers followed me into the ceiling, I tripped and fell from the roof of the two story building.
“They dragged me from the floor were I could no longer walk, they dragged me into their vehicle and refused taking me to the hospital as I pleaded with them. Getting to their office they dragged me out of the vehicle because I could no longer walk, they took me to their boss whom I explained that the matter I was brought for was already before the Commissioner of Police.
“On seeing my condition he ordered them to take me to the hospital, I told them to take me to Rehoboth Hospital, they refused that they will take me to their own hospital. On reaching the hospital which I could not identify, the doctor rejected me and asked them to take me to a specialist.
“They took me to University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital UPTH. They complained of not having a bed space for me, it was at that point they inquire from me which hospital I wanted to go, I told them to take me to Rehoboth Hospital. We got to Rehoboth Hospital at about 12 midnight and I was admitted.
“I Am demanding justice because I can no longer walk, I have been maimed for life, for committing no crime other than report a threat to life to the CP, the said Peace Beke who was linked with the several armed robbery cases in the compound was on many occasions identified with criminals as his friends. No amount of compensation can be equivalent to someone who have sustained life injury”
Three widows also demanded justice for their three sons who were working as local vigilantes of Luabe community in Khana local government area, and were alleged to have been killed by SARS Operatives leading illegal bunkers across their community on 8th November, 2018, and their corpses not been seen till date.
They testified that their sons while carrying out their duties sighted the illegal oil bunkerers in company of SARS Officers and in the process of enquiring whom they were, the SARS Operatives shot sporadically, killed the three boys and went away with their corpses till date.
The Commission however dismissed a petition for lack of jurisdiction filed by Chamberlain Emeonu, that is demanding justice for his cousin Nwobodo Uchechukwu Lucky that was arrested on 7th March, 2019, and he is yet to be seen till date, after the court gave an order that he should be released. Stating several police station in Rivers State visited declined having him in their custody.
Emeonu while speaking to our correspondent said his cousin Nwobodo left house to visit his sister only to be arrested by the police, severally police officers have extorted hug sum of money from the wife, with the notion of charging the matter to court which they never did till date.
Emeonu noted that on 21st September, 2019, they saw the picture of Nwobodo Uchechukwu Lucky published in Sun newspaper alongside two others as they were paraded for kidnapping, till date nothing have been heard about him, stressing that Nwobodo has five children to carter for.
He demanded for the release of his cousin who committed no crime and is being held unjustly by the police.
