Some of the indigenes of Umuowa-Ibu community, in the Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State on Wednesday barricaded the entrance into the state police command headquarters in Owerri the state capital to protest alleged bribe and release of a kidnap suspect.
Displaying various placards with so many inscriptions, they accused the command of collecting the sum of 5 million naira to free the alleged kidnapper who is also a native of the community.
According to a petition addressed to the state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, the indigenes said the freed suspect had started threatening members of the community.
The petition was signed by the community President-General, Benjamin Emere; the Vice-President General, Jonas Egbu; the Secretary, Cosmos Arogu; the Youth Leader, Uchechukwu Okorie; and the Woman Leader, Helen Akazie.
The petition read in part, “With a devastated mind, We write to draw the attention of the CP to a serious case of kidnapping in our community. Our children, Chisom Nnadi, Ekene and one other little girl were kidnapped in our community.
“The matter was handled by the anti -kidnapping unit. Painfully, the suspect was released and he has returned to the community, bragging that he got off the hook by giving the police N5m.
Speaking to Ameborave.blogspot.com, the CP said there was no evidence linking the suspect to any crime. Ezike said while the suspect was being held in police custody , some indigenes of the community, destroyed his houses.
He said after a thorough investigation, the command released the suspect because there was nothing linking him to the alleged missing Children. "Criminality is not by suspicion; it is by evidence. Justice is for everybody. It is their right to protest, but I have asked the Security Intelligence Bureau of the command to investigate the bribery allegation" he continued.
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