57 civic groups’ calls for justice in alleged Anambra police killings

Stanley Ihedigbo

Over 57 Human Rights’  groups,  operating under umbrella body of  Action Group on Free Civic Space (AGFCS) has called for justice on the  allegations of illegal detention, extortion, kidnapping, torture, extra-judicial killings, and organ harvesting against some police officers in Zone 13 Headquarters Ukpo, Anambra State and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, Anambra State Command.

In a statement made available to The Mirror, they noted that for about a week, social media has been buzzing with several allegations and testimonies against the same squad using the hashtags #anambrakillings, #arrestpatrickagbazue , #anambra.

They said that the allegations are appalling, an affront to the sanctity of human rights and dignity and undermine the fundamental
principles of responsible policing and development of just societies for which the Nigerian Police Force should be known.

“These current allegations are severe and disturbing, reflecting the findings in the AGFCS joint- action research report “#ENDSARS: Police Brutality and Shrinking Civic Space in Nigeria”. The research was carried out in the wake of the #EndSARS protests, with the spotlight on Anambra State as
the epicenter of rogue policing in Nigeria.

“The protests went beyond the elite squad known as the Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS) and extended to all-round high handedness and police brutality meted out on citizens by law enforcement officers. Even though SARS has been disbanded as a result of those protests, the brutality that they came to be known for is far from over.

“The allegations against several members of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) like the Akwuzu, Anambra State Command suggest that the reforms that were promised during the protests have not been implemented. While we note and commend the Inspector-General of Police for setting up a special investigative panel and
the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo’s directive to the Attorney-General of the state to call
for and review all case files with allegations of human rights abuses handled by Police Zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo, and the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, we call on the NPF and the Anambra State Government to not let this be business as usual.

“Culpable officers must be made to face the full wrath of the law if indicted. We also call for the immediate suspension of all accused officers pending the result of the investigations. We also
call on the National Human Rights Commission to set up an independent investigative panel to look into these atrocious allegations.

“Furthermore, we call on the IGP and the NPF to grant full independence to the investigative panel to enable fair trial. Civil society organizations should be allowed to monitor and document the activities of the panel as
part of efforts to ensure transparency. The reports of the investigations must not be swept under the carpet. The
government must also ensure that victims get the justice that their situations deserve,” they stated.

The groups are,  Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre
(RULAAC),  Centre for Community Empowerment and Poverty
Eradication (CCEPE)..Entrepreneurship Initiative for African Youth (EIFAY
Africa),  Spaces for Change | S4C, Network for Police Reforms in Nigeria (NOPRIN) and Elixir Trust Foundation.

Also  Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC),  World Impact Development Foundation (WIDEF), Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, Virgin Heart Foundation, Youth and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC), Foundation for Environmental Right Advocacy and
Development (FENRAD), Center for Community Empowerment in Conflict and Peacebuilding, Accountability Lab Nigeria , Human Rights Journalists Network.

“The Initiative for Equal Rights ,  Ogechi & Sam Ikeh Foundation (OSAIF), Youth Initiatives For Health And Peace Development
, Nigerian League of Women Voters, Safe Environmental And Community Health Initiative , Women And Children Health Empowerment
Foundation (WACHEF), Underprivileged Grassroots Foundation and others”.