Specifically, RULAAC requests the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate and address cases of alleged continuous harassment and intimidation, arbitrary arrests, detention, and prosecution and spurious and unfounded allegations.
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has filed a petition with Police Service Commission Chairman Hashimu Argungu, seeking disciplinary action against Inspector Matthew Abu Michael and others at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) for allegedly harassing, intimidating, and unlawfully detaining residents of Isuaniocha community, Awka North LGA, Anambra State.
Specifically, RULAAC requests the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate and address cases of alleged continuous harassment and intimidation, arbitrary arrests, detention, and prosecution and spurious and unfounded allegations.
RULAAC seeks immediate action to protect the rights of the affected community members.
The Executive Director of RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, who made the call in the petition dated August 19, 2024 and addressed to the Chairman of the PSC, drew the attention of Argungu to a court order which directed the police to stop further harassment, arrest and detention of members of the community based on a matter currently before the Federal High Court, Awka Division, for which the court has granted the accused persons bail.
Nwanguma in the petition informed the PSC Chairman of previous and unresolved petitions against Inspector Michael for alleged corrupt indulgence in a police-for-hire hatchet job, obstruction and perversion of justice, and shielding from justice notorious members of the community who are facing trial for murder and attempted murder of their kinsmen over a community dispute.
According to Nwanguma, Inspector Michael has allegedly in “brazen and illegal display of raw police powers, been hounding the petitioners who are also family members of the victims of murder and attempted murder as well as their supporters, and preventing them from attending court to pursue their cases against the accused persons, particularly Mssrs. Festus Onyeagolu and Anthony Onyeagolu who are allegedly bankrolling Inspector Matthew Abu Michael's unprofessional and discreditable activities”.
The RULAAC boss said, “As part of the machinations to keep the petitioners away from court, the said Inspector Matthew Abu Michael was also alleged to have masterminded the gazette of the names of 12 members of the community and obtained a dubious court order from far away Nasarawa State Senior District Court (outside the jurisdiction of the alleged crimes) declaring them wanted for alleged 'conspiracy, murder, armed robbery, act of terrorism, kidnapping, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms, house breaking, burglary, malicious damage, and conduct likely to cause breach of public peace in Isuaniocha'.
“On the basis of this orchestrated order declaring them wanted without ever being invited by the police, Inspector Matthew Abu Michael went on a hounding spree, arrested, detained, arraigned and secured the remand in prison custody of several members of the community without evidence to prosecute them for the alleged crimes.
“No less than 33 innocent citizens of the community were arrested and detained or remanded.
“However, the same Senior District Court of Nasarawa State of Nigeria holden at Mararaba-Gurlu had by a counter Order dated 9/11/23 reversed its earlier Order issued in favour of the Nigeria Police declaring the Applicants wanted and ordered the police not to use it (the previous order) to arrest members of the community.
“Unfortunately, in a bid to circumvent this Order stopping the police from further arresting members of the community, the financiers of Inspector Matthew Abu Michael's abusive and reckless activities have resorted to writing fresh petitions to other police units and formations including the IRT in order to continue to use police officers from other units to continue to harass and keep away their kinsmen from continuing to pursue their cases in court against them.
“RULAAC urged the PSC Chairman to ensure that the IGP calls Inspector Matthew Abu Michael and others to order to stop the harassment and violation of the rights of the petitioners, and to treat previous petitions to both the IGP and the PSC concerning the alleged discreditable conduct of Inspector Matthew Abu Michael and other police officers.”