 |
| IGP,-Mohammed-Abubakar |
•Seeks N750m damages
•AIG axes 2 officers over incident
Three months after she was gang-raped while in police
custody at the Abraka Division of the Delta State Police Command, the victim
and mother of five, Mrs. Ese Isaiah Ozegbe, has dragged the Nigeria Police to
court.
In the suit filed by her counsel, Mr. Efe Ejomasuvwe, at the
Federal High Court, Warri, she is claiming N750 million as damages from the
police over the incident. Hearing in the case has been fixed for June 13.
THISDAY had reported on May 4, this year, how Mrs. Ozegbe
was allegedly gang-raped by four men in police cell at the Abraka Division of
the Delta State Police Command.
The victim was said to have been detained among men at the
Station where she was allegedly raped in turn.
She had alleged in a petition to the AIG, Zone 5, Benin
City, Mr. Hashimu Argungu, that she was serially raped by the men while in the
custody of the police at Abraka.
In the petition, she accused the Divisional Police Officer
(DPO), Abraka, and his men of negligence and failure to protect her.
Her counsel alleged that following a brawl his client had
with one of her neighbours, one Mama Afoke, policemen from Abraka Police
Station came to arrest her on Februaray 26, this year, following a complaint by
the woman with whom she had the altercation.
The petitioner said that an effort made by her husband, Mr.
Isaiah Ozegbe, to secure her bail from the police custody was rebuffed by the
Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and the Divisional Crime Office (DCO).
She alleged that apart from intimidating and abusing her
husband, the duo also pushed him out of the station.
According to the petitioner, “shortly after Mr. Isaiah left
the Abraka Police Station, the IPO instructed the policeman at the counter to
put me into a cell where there were already two men.
“As soon as the Police locked the gate to the entrance of
the cells, two younger boys came into the cell where Mrs. Ese and the other two
mature men were kept, and immediately they started robbing her and she
protested that she is a married woman and mother of five children.
“The boys asked her to keep quiet and immediately grabbed
her by her neck and closed her mouth with their hands, the others held her two
hands and threw her on the ground and started to rape her. In the process, she
started shouting but the police refused to come to her aid until she went into
a coma. She realised herself the following morning”.
She added that when she became conscious, she noticed that
her husband was inside the cell opposite where she was held, adding that when
she asked him what he was doing there, her husband replied that when he came
that morning to perfect her bail, the police pushed him into the cell for
seeking bail for her.
Mrs. Ozegbe further said that when her husband met the DPO
and the DCO to complain to them that his wife was raped whilst kept in the same
cell with men, the DCO ordered that he should be kept behind the counter.
Policemen on duty that fateful night allegedly ignored her
cry for help.
It was also gathered that the men who allegedly raped Mrs.
Ozegbe are currently standing trial at a Magistrate Court in Abraka.
Meanwhile, the police authority has axed two of its
personnel attached to the Abraka Division of the Delta State Police Command for
negligence in the gang-rape of Mrs. Ozegbe.
The axed officers, according to THISDAY investigation, are
the Cell Guard attached to the Police Station (name withheld) and a female
inspector, Mrs. Erebi Akporunor.
The cell guard, whose name was not given, was dismissed from
service while the inspector was demoted to the rank of sergeant.
The dismissal and demotion were part of the report of an
Orderly Room Trial of 11 policemen in connection with the rape saga carried out
by the AIG, Zone 5, Benin City, Mr. Hashimu Argungu. – Adibe Emenyonu
Navy Personnel Ups the Ante in Weapon Handling, Marksmanship
A stitch in time, they say, saves nine and who knows this
better than the military who are constantly in the line of fire. Therefore, to
improve on weapon handling and marksmanship, especially in the light of
security challenges confronting the country, the personnel of the Western Naval
Command of the Nigerian Navy recently held its 2013 Small Arms Firing Exercise
(SAFEX).
The exercise which was held at 192 Battalion of the Nigerian
Army, Owode, Ogun State, had naval personnel from all units and formations
under the command test their skills in weapon handling and marksmanship.
While the three-day event lasted, over 500 personnel from
units and establishments in the Command took part in the event which was
declared open by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Naval Training Command,
Rear Admiral Azubuike Ajuonu.
According to the Command Information Officer, Lieutenant
Commander Jerry Omodara, the objective of the exercise was to test the
proficiency of the personnel of the Command in weapons handling with a view to
selecting the best to represent the Command at the Nigerian Navy Small Arms
Firing Competition.
He added that it was also aimed at improving weapon handling
skills and proficiency in marksmanship, while developing personnel intuitive
skills and response initiative under battle-like conditions.
In his address, the Special Guest of Honour, Rear Admiral
Peter Agba, said the exercise was important and strategic to naval operations.
Agbo, who is also the Admiral Superintendent, Naval Doctrine
and Assessment Centre, said: “This
exercise is important to the navy especially in the face of our current
operations in the internal security in the country. Therefore, the exercise is
coming at a very important time to improve on weapon handling skills and
proficiency in marksmanship.
“I was reliably informed that the officers and ratings of
the command have engaged in the displays of professionalism in the last three
days. This has again shown that we must continue to train and retrain in small
arms handling in order to be effective in the field.”
He added: “At the
Naval Doctrine and Standard Evaluation, we always look forward to this kind of
exercise which will in no small way help at achieving the Chief of Naval Staff,
Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba’s strategic guidance 01.”
To reimphasize the point that leadership is only effective
when the leader leads by example, the Flag Officer Commanding, (WNC), Rear
Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, took to the gun like fish to water. He hit target
several times and came out as the highest scorer for his set.
At the closing ceremony, Ibas commended the officers and men
who participated, adding that the objectives of the exercise were achieved with
the satisfactory performance of those that participated.
He said, “Based on these facts, I can comfortably state that
we are on course towards our drive to professionalism as well as the
transformation agenda of the navy. The lesson from the exercise will be a
rewarding one in the field as I expect personnel to take home skills acquired
and apply it in the field.” –
Chiemelie Ezeobi
No comments:
Post a Comment