Reactions as Imo Police Command parades man as suspect of a crime that occurred while in custody
By Ishaya Ibrahim
The curious parading of Thaddeus Ikechukwu Ojokoh, a tailor, as an Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) member that launched an attack against policemen in Imo State at a time he was in police custody, has elicited shock from the human rights community.
Executive Director of the Rule of Law, Accountability and Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwanguma, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, to order an impartial investigation into the mysterious action of the Imo State Police Command.
RULAAC’s statement reads: “RULAAC writes to bring to the attention of the Inspector-General of Police and to request you to order a prompt and impartial investigation to unravel the mystery surrounding the claim by the Imo State Police Command that a man who had been in police custody was among those who carried out the dastardly killing of police officers in Imo State on a date that the man was still in the custody of the police.
TheNiche had reported how the 53-year-old Ojokoh, a professional tailor and father of five, was arrested by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Tiger Base, Owerri, Imo State on April 15, 2023, but was paraded as a gunman who murdered policemen on national assignment on April 21, six days after his arrest.
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Human Rights Activist, Ohams Chinedu, in his reaction, said: “Tiger Base of Imo Command is a miracle place. Miracle no dey tire SP Ola and CP Barde. I don’t know how long Imolites will endure this despite several complaints.”
SP Ola is the head of the Tiger Base command of the Imo State Police Command, while Mohammed Barde is the state’s Commissioner of Police.
Another Activist, Arthur Judah Angel, said: “The men of Nigeria Police Force in Imo state are top among the worst in the country presently. They can even frame a dead man. Did the man in question commit the alleged attack from police custody? What bad thing the police in Imo state cannot do does not exist.”
Nwanguma, in his petition to IGP Alkali, said: “He (Ojokoh) was eventually paraded by the Imo State Police Command along with others who were later arrested following the killing of the police officers on April 21 and said to be among the assailants who attacked and killed the police officers in Ngor-Okpala, Imo State on April 21, 2023.
“Members of Thaddeus Ojokoh’s family of Umugwa Umuokrika, Ahiazu Mbaise LGA Imo State informed us that Thaddeus was still in police custody as at the date of the condemnable attack and killing of the police officers. How then could he have participated in the attack and killing while still in police custody?
“Thaddeus Ikechukwu Ojokoh, a well-known Professional Tailor at Afor Oru Market in Ahiazu Mbaise, Imo State was arrested on April 15 on the claim that he is a member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The attack against police officers was launched on April 21. He was still in police custody as at that date and has not been released till date.
“His family members have not had access to him since the day he was arrested. They seriously fear for his life because most people arrested by the police in Imo State and labeled IPOB members have usually been executed extra judicially or disappeared. There have been instances of people arrested on the claim that they were IPOB members and killed or disappeared and evidence later emerged to disprove the claim.
“Thaddeus Ojokoh’s family members find it both curious and ironic that Ojokoh who was arrested on April 15 and still detained at the Tiger Base Owerri as at April 21 when the attack was carried out and has not been released up to date could be paraded alongside others alleged to have carried out that same attack.
“Ojokoh’s family members were hoping that the police would have finished their investigation and cleared him of any links with IPOB or charged him to court. But on April 21, six days after his arrest, armed men attacked policemen on patrol at Ngor-Okpala and killed four of them.
“Attacks on police installations or killing of police officers are totally condemnable serious and unjustifiable crimes.
“The attack and killing of 4 police officers at Ngor-Okpala junction on April 21, 2023 was unjustifiable and all those responsible should not be spared the maximum penalty permitted by law.
“However, parading a man for a crime committed while in police custody raises serious concerns and questions, and calls for careful investigation to ensure that an innocent person is not accused wrongly or made to pay the price for a crime he did not commit.
“We hereby humbly request the IGP to order a discrete investigation to unravel this mystery
“It has also become necessary to call the IGP’s attention to the attitude of many police officers in the Southeast presuming everyone accused of being an IPOB member of having automatically lost their constitutionally guaranteed rights to due process, including the presumption of innocence until otherwise proven in a fair trial.
“This is a very dangerous attitude that has led to the murder of many innocent citizens. The Constitution guarantees every person arrested for a recognizable offense the right to fair trial. Summary executions and extrajudicial killings amount to murder and can have ugly repercussions including creating a cycle of violence.
“We request the IGP to order an investigation into the continued detention of Thaddeus Ikechukwu Ojokoh and the circumstances surrounding his being accused of being among those who carried out an attack on police officers on a date he was still in police custody.
“He should be released or charged to court if he has any case to answer. His family and legal representatives should also be allowed access to him,” RULAAC said in the statement.