The death of Ikwunado had last year sparked outrage on social media, which brought about the launch of #JusticeForChima and #Ikokwu4 on Twitter.
Four police officers linked to the killing of Chima Ikwunado and torture of four other auto mechanics at the Ikokwu area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in December 2019 have been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force.
The death of Ikwunado had last year sparked outrage on social media, which brought about the launch of #JusticeForChima and #Ikokwu4 on Twitter.
This was confirmed in a statement by the spokesperson for the state’s police command, Nnamdi Omoni.
The dismissed officers arrested the late Ikwunado and his colleagues on December 19, 2019 and allegedly tortured them for three weeks after labelling them cultists and armed robbers.
The late Chima, who could not bear the pain inflicted on him by the police in detention, died on December 29, 2019, after which his counterparts were charged to court and remanded in custody in January 2020 but were released days later following the directive of the state’s Department of Public Prosecutions.
Omoni said the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, had ordered the dismissal of the erring officers from the Force.
He said, “The officers from the Eagle Crack Squad who allegedly tortured late Chima Ikwunador to death in December 2019 and unlawfully inflicted various degrees of injuries on Ifeanyi Onyekwere, Ogbonna Victor, Ifeanyi Osuji and Osaze Friday have been dismissed by the Rivers State Police Command and will be charged to court tomorrow for conspiracy and murder, among other charges.
“The officers who had gone through the processes of orderly room trial were today de-kitted and dismissed from the Force, hence their arraignment.
“Recall that the Commissioner of Police, Joseph G. Mukan, in his maiden press briefing on assumption of duty in the state promised to address all cases of infractions and unprofessional conduct of the officers and men of the command and to offer quality policing services to the state.”