Enugu Rights Group Accuses Police of Shooting Five Detainees
A human rights organization, the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN), has petitioned the Inspector General of Police over the alleged torture and shooting of five detainees by police officers in Enugu State.
The petition, signed by CRRAN President, Olu Omotayo, Esq., requested immediate action to address the situation. The five individuals, members of the Neighbourhood Watch in Akpawfu community, Nkanu East Local Government Area, Enugu State, are:
1. Sunday Nwobodo (also known as Divine Spoon)
2. Onyeka Nnaji
3. Nnamdi Gabriel
4. Nweze Igweshi
5. Nwabunkeonye Nnamani
According to the petition, the detainees were randomly arrested between August 3 and August 12, 2024. The police allegedly refused access to the detainees’ families and lawyers. When some community members visited the detainees two weeks ago, they reportedly found them limping due to torture and gunshot wounds on their legs.
CRRAN condemned the alleged police brutality, citing the Anti-Torture Act 2017, which penalizes torture with 25 years imprisonment. The group demanded:
1. Immediate release or arraignment of the detainees
2. Thorough investigation into the alleged torture and shooting
3. Access to medical examination by an independent doctor of the detainees’ choice
The petition highlighted concerns over police brutality and the need for accountability and justice.
“The proper thing for the police to do is to charge the detainees before a court of competent jurisdiction,” the petition stated. “We demand that the officers involved be made to face the full wrath of the law.”
