Questions as Naval officers reportedly disarm policemen on illegal raid in Abuja
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
“That’s how officers from the station do. I was once arrested around 8pm and forced to pay N50,000 before I was released. I and others were beaten and forced to pay for our bail.”
Five days after report of some Nigerian Navy officers disarming one of policemen allegedly on illegal raid in Abuja got public, Nigerians are still asking to know what the authorities at higher level have done to unravel the matter.
It will be recalled that Sahara Reporters had, on Saturday December 21, 2024, reported that the police officer, as well as his colleagues attached to the Iddo Police Station as at the time of incident, lost his service rifle during an illegal raid on houses and schools around Bassa area in the Federal Capital Territory.
Some interested Nigerians have been commenting and asking questions to know how the police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Force Headquarters have handled the sad news and what disciplinary measures towards justice have been taken.
On Saturday, Sahara Reporters had reported how the police personnel at Iddo Station in the nation’s capital were arresting and maltreating innocent Nigerians until they did it to some military personnel who disarmed one of them and threatened to kill all of them with their seized arm.
“They were picking people randomly. What they do is to park in front of people’s homes, wait for them to come out and then force them to their buses,” a source reportedly said.
“While doing this, they saw some Naval personnel and asked them to enter their bus. Those ones asked what happened and one of the officers slapped him. They immediately disarmed the officer and threatened to kill him and others with his gun.
“They then went away with the gun and ammunition but I heard the police authorities have apologised. I’m not sure if the gun has been recovered.”
ThevSaharaReporters added that Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Iddo Police Station in Abuja, Solomon Majit, confirmed the incident said his men were not on illegal raid.
“It’s true but the gun has been recovered. We were combing the area cause of the security situation in the FCT,” he said.
The online newspaper, SaharaReporters, had reported how officers from Iddo station illegally arrested over 20 Nigerians under the guise of security raids.
They were picked in front of their houses and schools that Friday evening around Bassa area in the Federal Capital Territory.
According to report, the young men were handcuffed and treated by the policemen like criminals.
“I just stepped out of my house and I saw a bus parked beside me, before I knew what was happening, they forced me to enter the bus. I asked what I did and one of the officers slapped me.
“After my arrest, in same Bassa, about seven other young men were arrested in same pattern. Some were even arrested in front of a community school. From there, they moved to Sauka and picked up as many as they liked.
“It was when we got to the station that we heard that policemen from the station had been illegally arresting people just to extort them.
“They then started requesting us to pay them different amount as bail because all of us slept in the cell till this morning. Imagine taking N50,000 from over 20 people, that’s a million Naira,” one of those arrested had told SaharaReporters.
Another source added, “That’s how officers from the station do. I was once arrested around 8pm and forced to pay N50,000 before I was released. I and others were beaten and forced to pay for our bail.”
Unsatisfied by media denial by the DPO, readership of The DEFENDER, trusting to get a higher level police reactions on the matter, demanded to know what has been done as, according to many of them, it is nauseating how constitutional police officers and men in parts of the country are hiding under fight against crime and criminality to illegality britalise and defraud innocent Nigerians.
When contacted by The DEFENDER on Wednesday December 25, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Adeh Josephine, who gave the enquiry a warn and swift response, promised to get the details requested and get back to the global online newspaper.
