BEING A PRESS ADDRESS DELIVERED BY COMRADES OF THE COALITION OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS IN EDO STATE.
Distinguish Ladies & Gentlemen of the press, we welcome you to this press conference which has become so imperative to redeem Edo State people from the hands of an unethical leadership of a Police Commissioner whose aim and objective is to molest, Extort, harass, intimidate, most times unlawfully arrest and detain innocent and law abiding citizen all geared towards wealth amassment.
The attention of the Civil Society Organization in Edo State has since been drawn to the very many Human Rights abuses by some officers and men of the Edo State Police Command under the directive and supervision of the Edo state Police Commissioner, CP Abutu Yaro, while he pays deaf ears and grave silence to the many complaint of Extortion, intimidation, molestations and harassment by his tactical teams and the clarion call to nip such in the bud by members of the public and the Civil Society Community.
It is on record that several petition have been written, physical appearances/representation have been made before the Commissioner of Police with the view of addressing this ugly trend which less than two (2) years ago led to the ugly Endsars protest which left Edo State one of the most hit of all the 36 States in Nigeria, including Abuja. Suffice to say that the deliberate unwarranted raids, random picks of innocent citizen and the subsequent detention and unlawful demand of not less than four hundred thousand Naira (₦400,000) to over one million naira (₦1000,000) bail money always demanded by the Police, especially the tactical teams is a grand design to reap off Edo people.
The Police Commissioner CP Abutu Yaro who came with the mantra of equipping the rural police post and division with zero tolerance to corruption but shortly after resumption, things changed from bad to worse in terms of Police misconduct and reckless collectios, as the State Police Command have become an ATM and the populace the ATM Card. This CP is also noticed to be very interested in the parade of suspects who refuse to part with their demands in less than 10 hours of arrest, all with a view of making more harvest of cash at the detriment of Edo people, thereby defaming them in the process.
The case of one Dr. Innocent Ebosele and 29 others who were arrested on the 6th if July 2022 at Iyaro on a random raid by men of the anti cultism unit, one of the tactical teams, these persons were later in less than 10 hours of their arrest paraded on the 7th if July 2022 and arraigned on the 8th of July 2022 as cultists at the Benin High Court, Criminal division, Sapele road, Benin City. Whereas, some were arrested at the Motor Park where they were eating at the Oando filling station while waiting for their waybilled goods. This ugly incident is still very fresh in minds.
CP Abatu Yaro has displayed the worse level of intelligence and discipline by the arrest of the Edo State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner REC on the 28th July 2022, a situation that suggested that he has subjected himself to become a Political “Yes Man” to some politicians for personal gains.
The pronouncement of the dissolution of the Police Community Relation Committee PCRC Edo State is another pointer of his unprofessional conduct, more so that he has requested all intending members to apply to him. The current spate of impanding vehicles and the search of cell phones by his men under his watch including the use of POS machine to extort money is very worrisome. It is also to our knowledge that all police formations were directed to donate to the CP during the just concluded Salah, what a shame.
The case of one Mr. Padis who was arrested on Wednesday 20th July around upper Sokponba Road over his refusal to open this phone for the police and was released on Thursday 21st July on the demand of million naira (₦1000,000) but for the swift intervention of some Civil Right Activist and the subsequent call from the force headquarters, that led to his eventual release, while the vehicle was still impanded for another 4 days and was later released on Monday the 25th July 2022, after all means to extort money failed.
This trend portends danger as the 2nd year anniversary of Endsars protest draws near, these actions if not nipped, may result in the eventual breakdown of law and order in Edo State as the atmosphere is so charged to a rain of massive protest against the Police over their unethical conducts, which includes brutality and use of rude force. The CP should be asked to account for his action including how he got Samsung Galaxy Z and an iPhone 13 which our view is a proceed of corruption.
The CP must learn to leave peaceable with all men, he must learn to apply all known etiquette in the discharge of his duty.
Intelligence is not displayed by arrogance, but by humility.
Signed:
Marxist Kola Edokpayi
Solomon Ijiogbe
Curtis Ogbebor
Kelly Omokaro Osunbor