SaharaReporters had reported how Oluseyi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police physically assaulted Helen for ‘unknown reasons’.
Lawal Abubakar, Commissioner of Police in Enugu, has ordered his deputy in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Enugu to immediately investigate the case of assault on a sergeant, Helen Onoja by a senior officer, Oluseyi Okenla.
SaharaReporters had reported how Oluseyi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police physically assaulted Helen for ‘unknown reasons’.
Helen, a nursing mother, it was learnt was also detained for several hours on the order of the power-drunk senior police officer.
A policeman who witnessed the incident had told SaharaReporters that the female sergeant was beaten publicly by Okenla and his orderly, identified as Emma Oji in front of the area command office in Enugu.
He said the incident happened on February 17, 2022, around 6 pm, accusing the police boss of always intimidating junior officers.
Helen’s pictures obtained by SaharaReporters also showed scars from the manhandling by the police officers.
“He is known for always intimidating junior officers because he is a senior officer. The lady in question wasn’t even working under him. She works in another division,” an officer had said.
“The Area Commander and his orderly, Sergeant Emma Oji battered, kicked, punched and dragged her on the dusty roadside of Orthopedic junction, Abakiliki expressway here in Enugu as if she was a criminal.
“Sadly, this woman was wearing police uniform when an officer who should maintain the law was physically abusing her in public.”
Reacting in a statement on Saturday, Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, said the Commissioner has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation
Department to conduct a thorough and conclusive investigation into the story.
The statement read, “The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Abubakar Lawal, fdc, has ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of the State CID Enugu, to conduct a thorough and conclusive investigation into the story making the rounds on social media and blogs, alleging that an Assistant Commissioner of Police and Area Commander in-charge of Enugu Metro Area Command, ACP Oluseyi
Okenla, physically assaulted a female police officer, identified as Sergeant Helen Onoja, for no justifiable reasons.
“The investigation is in view of establishing the facts surrounding the allegations and apportioning appropriate disciplinary sanctions on whoever is found culpable.
“The CP, while reassuring the general public that no stone will be left unturned in getting to the root of the matter and meting out appropriate sanctions, notes that the Nigeria Police Force remains highly regimented and disciplined.
“Consequently, the Commissioner has enjoined the general public to avoid creating and/or peddling skewed narratives over the incident as alleged, while urging all and sundry to count on the Command to activate the investigative and internal disciplinary mechanisms of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that justice prevails.”