They also condemned the release of Oduwanor from detention, alleging that it was in order to pervert the course of justice.
Leaders and members of some communities in Aniocha North and Aniocha South local government areas of Delta State have raised the alarm over an alleged attempt by the police to scuttle a case.
The communities are Ubulu-Okiti, Ogwashi-Uku, Akukwu-Igbo, Edo-Ogwashi and Issele-Azagba and the allegation is that the Force Criminal Investigation Department of the Police Headquarters in Abuja is attempting to scuttle criminal charges against one Francis Oduwanor and his gang who have been allegedly terrorising the areas.
Leaders of various communities told journalists in a press conference on Friday in Asaba, that the alarm has become necessary following the suspicious way and manner the FCID led by one DSP Idowu Sunday, was handling the matter.
They also condemned the release of Oduwanor from detention, alleging that it was in order to pervert the course of justice.
One of the leaders of Oganihu Otulu community, Tony Enurah, said Oduwanor along with other gang members had been terrorising the communities for several years.
He added that the suspect who is supposed to be facing trials for crimes such as attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms, assault, maiming and others is walking freely.
"Francis Oduwanor unilaterally declared himself a traditional ruler and was driving around the community with police escorts.
“These policemen were used to intimidate members of the community. We wrote to the Delta state government to complain about the activities and the activities of his gang. When the Delta state commissioner of police invited him to answer his numerous petitions, he absconded from the state and ran to Abuja to file a petition against the police in Delta.
“He had boasted of giving the police in Abuja the sum of N35 million to work for him and to stop any investigation into his activities.”
He continued, "The state ministry of justice on August 16, 2022, wrote a letter to the police requesting Francis Oduwanor’s presence in court but the police in FCID have flagrantly refused to comply with court orders. Just last week, Justice Umukoro of the Delta state high court sentenced some of his gang members to prison for the daylight shooting of a local Chief in Edo Ogwashi-Uku community. The convicts are currently at the correctional prison in Warri, Delta State."
Also speaking, one of the leaders in Akukwu-Igbo community, Ifeanyi Onwaebuzie, lamented the way the FCID in Abuja was interfering with the cases involving Oduwanor.
He alleged that "Francis Oduwanor has committed a lot of crimes against the people”.
Onwaebuzie said, “What he does whenever you petition him to the state police is to run to Abuja to get the case withdrawn and then you never hear about the case again. He has done this several times. In May 2022, Francis and his gang members came into our community to seize our land. They killed a youth, Gabobo by strangling him to death and burning him.
"Despite the petition we wrote to the CP Delta, we understand that officers in Abuja have taken the file. To date, we have not heard anything about our petitions to investigate the death of our brother that Francis and his group killed.
“Francis is a master at petitioning everyone. He always wants to be the petitioner and he goes to give vast amounts of money to the police so they do not act. He says that the police in Abuja work for him. We demand justice if not we shall protest publicly if they continue to cover this criminal."
As of the time of filing this report, all efforts to reach Francis Oduwanor and the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi for comments were unsuccessful.
Adejobi neither answered calls to his mobile line nor replied to a text message sent to him.
However, when contacted, the state Police Public Relations Office, DSP Bright Edafe, debunked the allegation that police may have compromised on their integrity, saying that a "series of petitions were written against the Francis Oduwanor, and he was invited severally to come forward to answer to all the allegations but he vehemently refused to honour all our invitations”.
“And we declared him wanted before he was later arrested with a warrant of arrest. We thereafter charged him to court and that is all I can say because the matter is already in court now," he added.