By Tina Amanda
One Okechukwu Onunwa has accused the Campus Base of Diobu vigilante at Ikom Street, Mile 3 Diobu, Port Harcourt, of torture, detention, and collection of bail money.
Onunwa in an interview with our Correspondent, narrated he was arrested on Thursday 21 August, 2023, by Diobu Vigilante Campus base over an allegation that he stole a motor battery.
According to him, he was taken to the vigilante office, chained tortured with a hammer to accept that he stole the battery even when he did not steal anything.
Onunwa disclosed that he was detained for a day in the vigilante office, his techno phone was collected from him and also three thousand naira.
“The vigilante personnel told me to bring 10,000 naira to bail myself before I would be released. I met other people at the vigilante office been detained and chained for over five days to one week.
“I was arrested just for the mere allegation that I discussed with a girl and promised to help her travel which I did not.
The victim called on the Commissioner of Police, the Rivers State Government to look into the illegal activities of some vigilante groups in Port Harcourt. While noting that he has reported the matter to the Nkpolu Police Division in Mile 3 Diobu.
Meanwhile, the Civil-Military Police and Para-Military Relations (CIMPARR) has condemned in the strongest terms the illegal detention, abuse of human rights, extortion, bail collection, and assault of Okechukwu Onunwa by the Diobu Vigilante Branch in Ikom Street, Mile 3, Port Harcourt.
The Coordinator of the group, Green Isaac, in a statement on Saturday 23, September, 2023, said such actions by any law enforcement or vigilante group are completely unacceptable and go against the principles of justice, the rule of law, and respect for human rights.
He said the primary duty of any security agency is to protect the citizens without infringing on their fundamental rights.
Isaac called on the appropriate authorities to launch a thorough investigation into this incident and ensure that those involved in the illegal detention, abuse, extortion, bail collection, and assault are held accountable for their actions.
