Unknown gunmen attack: Disarmed Police officers cry out over prolonged detention 

By Sodiq Adelakun

Police officers who were attacked, wounded and disarmed by unknown gunmen have raised the alarm over their continued detention for about five months without trial.

They spoke through their Counsel, Barrister Godwin Onwusi in a petition to the Inspector General of Police, through the A.I.G, Force C.I.D Annex, Enugu.

The petition, entitled: “Request/Petition For You To cause An Investigation Into the Long Unexplained and Unconstitutional Detention of The Under listed Police Officers By The Abia State Police Command”, was made available on Wednesday.

Onwusi disclosed that Inspector Ubakwem Udoka, Inspector Sunday Alhamadu and Sgt. Udeogu Chidi were sometime in September 2022 attacked from behind, wounded and disarmed by unknown gunmen while they were at their barricade duty post, opposite the State CID, Umuahia.

He noted that they sustained serious injuries during the attack, while the attackers took away their arms, adding that since their detention, they have not been briefed on why they are being detained for that long, stating that the situation could discourage or demoralize other officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force.

Onwusi pointed out that the officers have not also been charged to court, neither were they being paid salaries since then, noting that the development had brought untold hardship to the families of the officers who are dependent on the salaries of the officers.

He called on the authorities of the police to use their good offices to look into the case of the officers with a view to either releasing them, having kept them in detention for so long.

Onwusi, in the petition, copied to the Police Service Commission, disclosed that they have instruction of their clients to proceed legally to enforce the fundamental rights of the officers.