‘Police holding my cousin 9 months after vigilante group rescued him from kidnappers’, man tells Judicial Commission

Tina Amanda

A Civil Servant and a native of Ubarama community in Ahoada west local government area of Rivers state, Smart Agbaje, has urged the Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry into police brutality to compel the Operatives of the Inspector General of police monitoring Team Aluu to produce his cousin.

Agbaje told the commission that on the 6 March, 2020, Christmas, his cousin Sylvanus was abducted by unidentified gunmen who invaded his father’s house, but was rescued by joint effort of OSPAC and IBISIMI Vigilante groups and he was later handed over to Officers of IGP monitoring team Aluu.

He told the panel that ever since his cousin was handed over to the IGP monitoring team Aluu, he has not been seen till date and all efforts made to inquire about his whereabout from the officers proved abortive.

Agbaje demanded justice that the officers whom Sylnavus was handed over to should be prosecuted and made to face the law for denying knowing the whereabout of his cousin.

He appealed to the Commission to help in the release of his cousin if he is still alive, and if dead, his corpse should be produced for burial, while demanding 50 million naira as compensation to the family.

Our correspondent report that the Commission struck out three petitions and adjourned it’s sitting to 14 December for continuation.