Police unaware over killing of 3 in Rivers community – Spokesman
The police in Rivers state say it is not aware that a police officer killed three persons during a raid on a criminal hideout in Andoni Local Government Area of the state.
Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, stated this on Monday in Port Harcourt.
He was reacting to allegations that some policemen killed at least three innocent persons and destroyed houses during an anti-cultist operation in Asarama community on Saturday.
According to Omoni, the command take seriously, allegations brought to it over the involvement of police officers in extra-judicial killings.
“I am not aware that policemen invaded Asarama community, killed three people and destroyed houses. It’s unfortunate that those who make these allegations do not come to us.
“If anybody has any grievance, such a person should first reach out to the police rather than go to the media,’’ he said.
The spokesman however, said that the police recently carried out an operation in Andoni Local Government Area, resulting in the death of an unnamed alleged notorious cultist.
“If any individual has complaint against our personnel, such a person should report the matter to the commissioner of police, who will order investigation into the allegation,” he said.
National President, Federated Union of Asarama Students, Ms. Ugbana Ubonmejit, had in a statement called on the federal government and other stakeholders to urgently intervene in the affairs of the troubled community.
Ubonmejit said that the activities of criminal gangs have been on the rise in the once peaceful Asarama community, while accusing the police of escalating the already tensed situation with the arbitrary arrest of innocent residents during an operation on Saturday.
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“The invasion by the police in Asarama community sadly led to the death of over three persons and destruction of houses. We are appealing to the police to immediately release over 20 innocent persons arrested during the raid.
“They should also evaluate and rebuild all the demolished houses because the destroyed properties do not belong to the suspected miscreants,” she stated.
The union leader said some of those in police custody were Awaji-Moroinyem Inye, Thompson Sunday, Lazarus Awaji-Romsan, Jacob Ebieirne, Micheal Ikpoko-Irebiriene, Lambert Gilbert and David Gift.
She further said that the police must return all the property allegedly taken away during the raid and urged the state police command not to take sides in the communal crises.
“We want the police to release the body of Ete Ezekiel, who was killed and taken away. We also demand that they bear the financial burden of those hit by stray bullets during the raid, especially women and children.
“To this end, we call on both Federal and State Governments to urgently intervene. We believe that their intervention will douse the already tensed situation,” she appealed.
