A group, the Centre for the vulnerable and the underprivileged, CENTREP, on Monday disclosed how the Divisional Crime Officer and the Divisional Police Officer in Agbarho Police station in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, DSP Fabian Ayemeh and CSP Samuel Ogwa, allegedly battered and assaulted a food vendor and a mother of four, Mrs Rose Simeon.
RealTime24 gathered that Mrs Simeon was attacked by both police officers for admonishing her son, Ufuoma Emmanuel for defiling the curfew order put in place by the Delta State government.
CENTREP Executive Director, Mr Oghenejabor Ikimi, a lawyer, spoke on behalf of the victim in a statement he signed and made available to newsmen.
Narrating the ugly incident, the legal practitioner said the victim’s son Ufuoma, a dry cleaner was arrested on his way home from store by Policemen on June 21, 2020.
He said Ufuoma had to put a phone call through to his mother at about 10:00 am the next day, June 22, explaining his plight at the hands of the Policemen whose custody he was held.
Ikimi said the victim (Rose Simeon) at about 12noon same day, proceeded to the Police station in Agbarho to see her son – possibly to effect his release on bail.
The human rights activist said, “That arriving at the Police station, the victim, Mrs Simeon demanded to see her son who was being held in the Police cell and in the process was compelled by a policewoman at the counter to pay the sum of N500.00(five hundred naira) before she will be allowed to so do.
“That immediately the victim paid the above sum, her son was brought before her and in the process of admonishing her son for defiling the curfew, the Divisional Crime Officer, DSP Fabian Ayemeh walked from his office to the charge room and in anger, demanded to know why the victim was making noise in the station.”
Ikimi said, the victim could not utter any word from her mouth as DSP Fabian Ayemeh descended and gave her several slaps on the face and fist blows all over her body.
The CENTREP boss stated that in the process, she (the victim) fell on the bare floor as DSP Fabian Ayemeh, unprovoked; marched and kicked her stomach, waists and buttock with his boots.
Ikimi said the victim wailed on the bare floor in pains and her cries drew the attention of the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Samuel Ogwa, who came out of his office and requested the victim to stand up, but she was unable to do so due to severe pains.
“That when some policewomen tried to assist the victim to regain her balance, they were stopped by the said Divisional Police Officer on the pretext that the victim was faking her injury.
“At that juncture, the Divisional Police Officer ordered his men to tear gas the victim as she was pretending so that she can be filmed by members of the public present at the police station and put on Facebook.
” That several hours on the bare floor, the victim was carried out of the said station, where the said Divisional Police Officer reluctantly ordered his men to take the victim on a police Hilux to the General Hospital, Agbarho.
“That whilst the above was unfolding, the victim tried to call her husband, Mr Simeon Owoku on phone but was disallowed by Policemen on duty on the orders of the said Divisional Police Officer.
“That on arriving at the said General Hospital, Agbarho, the victim demanded that she should be taken to the Central Hospital Warri as she was not comfortable being treated at Agbarho. The Police refused and brought the victim back to the Nigeria Police Station, Agbarho and abandoned her on bare floor in pains.”
Ikimi stated that the victim who languished in pains at about 6 pm later put a call through to one of their neighbours simply identified as Beatrice, who later came with a tricycle to fetch her home at about 7 pm.
He noted that the victim could not be taken to the Central Hospital, Warri for treatment owing to the curfew that night.
Ikimi, however, pointed out that the victim was later taken to the Central Hospital, Warri, the following day being June 23, where she was treated and discharged the same day.
He said the victim’s son, Ufuoma Emmanuel was released same day to his stepfather, Mr Simeon Owoku.
Ikimi said the victim was later rushed to the Victory Paula Clinic, Okuokoko, where she was treated for several body pains from June 26 till the next day.
He said, “That in spite of the unlawful act of the Divisional Crime Officer, DSP Fabian Ayemeh, the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Samuel Ogwa has refused, failed and neglected to call him to order till date as both policemen have shown no remorse for their above unprofessional and criminal conduct.”
Ikimi noted that the two officers owe the victim a duty of care to protect her.
“Let us assume without conceding that the victim was in the process of admonishing her son above was actually making noise, the punishment for such an act is not for DSP Fabian Ayemeh to assault, batter and beat up the victim inside the police station or is it for the Divisional Police Officer,CSP Samuel Ogwa to order his men to tear gas the victim.”
Ikimi said CENTREP had to write the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Hafiz Inuwa to order a comprehensive and an independent investigation into the above complaints of the victim in a bid to bringing the Police Officers to book if found culpable stressing that,” Justice delayed, is justice denied.”
When contacted, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Hafiz Inuwa said, “I don’t know about the matter.”