By Ehi Ekhator
If the Dean of Faculty of Law, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Prof. Edekor had known that his inquiry could cost him body pains, he would have driven passed two hapless boys who were being beaten by the men in Uniform.
You May Also Like
Prof. Edekor was beaten to stupor by the Edo State anti-cultist unit on the 13th of March after attempting to rescue two boys who were thrown into the officers hilux van.
Edekor was slapped, beaten with cutlass and hammer by some group of rogue police on his way to Mechanic workshop before he was threatened to be charged with cultism, kidnapping and armed robbery
The Dean who spoke with NAIJA CENTER NEWS narrated his ordeal in the hands of the special forces, who by responsibility, was supposed to keep them safe.
The Prof. said his only sin was to ask a question, and his hands were hit with hammer while he was still on his car steering.
He said:”On the 13th of March, I was on my way to the mechanic workshop in Ekpoma, I saw a Hilux van packed by the side of the road and I saw two boys handcuffed together inside. I knew one of the boys because he lived opposite my office, I knew the father so I slowed down and asked him what happened.
“Before the boy could offer any answer, a police officer who was armed with a gun without uniform shouted at me to get out of the place. Before I could move or even offer an explanation at all, he used a hammer, the type they used for nails to hit my right hand. I was still in my car so I packed the car properly and came down to introduce myself.
“I told them who I was and explained that I only asked the young man what happened, that I didn’t do anything. I thought they would say sorry but they started beating me, slapping my back with a cutlass, hammer and I heard one of them said use tear gas on him, and my eyes were sprayed with tear gas, they left me because I knew I didn’t do anything.”
He continued:”I decided to go tell their boss of what happened, then I boarded a bike back to the police station. The DPO wasn’t around, they gave me a police officer who followed me back to the place, but they weren’t there anymore and we came back to the station. They asked me to look around and I saw the men in one office. These police officers were brought from Benin; they call them Special Anti-Cult Unit. According to them, they are not under the DPO and the Area Command; they are responsible directly to the Commissioner of Police.
“I told the police with me of what the boys did to me. To my greatest surprise, they chased the police officer away and said: “do you think bringing this officer can do us anything,”? They said I was courageous enough to take them to the police station, so they dragged me into their office, slammed me on the ground, and again started using cutlass to beat me up. They then forced me to write a statement which I didn’t want to write. They accused me of armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, and that they stopped me when I was going to hold a cult meeting or to buy Indian hemp.
“I didn’t do anything, all the time they beat me up, I didn’t insult them, I only appealed to them that I am among the people trying to reform people in Ekpoma because I have an NGO under which I take pupils from primary and secondary schools at my expense. In Ekpoma alone, I have 750 people, I have people in Esan South East and Esan North.
“When my wife came, they chased her and asked her to get out of the station or they would charge her with armed robbery and cultism. It was ASP Ojo, their leader that made that specific statement.
“The ASP was the one who told them to drag me into their office and beat me with cutlasses and hammer. He participated fully but in town, I cannot report seeing him among those who beat me up, but at the police station he led the beating. I f he had even apologized at that stage of what the boys did in town, I would have even listened but he didn’t. I was not the only one they were beating.
“There were two boys called Sammy and Waheed, they used a cutlass to cut their shoulder and finger.
“There was a woman at the office there too, they told me I was going to buy Indian hemp from that woman, they asked her if she knew me and she said no. But that woman is at home now because they wanted to exploit people.
When asked if he bailed himself with money, the Dean said: “I cannot lie; they didn’t demand any money from me because I didn’t do anything.”
It could be recalled that NAIJA CENTER NEWS had reported that the same Anti-Cultists squad invaded a party at His Banner Hotel and arrested over 60 invitees, seized their phones and other belongings, then forced them to bail themselves with N20,000 to N25,000 each.
NAIJA CENTER NEWS gathered that ASUU had gone to the Area Commander and they were informed that the squad terrorising the people are not under him.
Several attempts made to reach the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Haliru Gwandu proved abortive as several calls placed were not answered.
Meanwhile the Edo State Police PRO, DSP Moses E. Nkombe who answered his called promised to call back.
NAIJA CENTER NEWS gathered that this squad under the direct control of the Commissioner of Police has been used to terrorise and put in line anyone who the police boss found as enemy.
An Edo youth, Kola Edokpayi had disappeared few days ago after telling NAIJA CENTER NEWS that he had received a tip that the Commissioner of Police had instructed the same squad to arrest and detain him. He also claimed that he would be charged with terrorism and armed robbery over his intention to plan a protest.
Edokpayi who is currently in hiding wrote a letter few days ago explaining how he was almost tracked by the squad using the name of someone he had rescued in the past.
“The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Haliru Gwandu has given orders to his boys to arrest me based on the fact that I have been criticizing some police officers who are exploiting and extorting our people in the midst of abject poverty.
“The Commissioner of Police is relying on our peaceful protest to NPDC where Curtis Eghosa Ugbo was arrested and charge to court with treasonable felony. His sinister plan is to put me out of the scene so that they can continue to exploit our people.
“Based on the information I have decided to relocate from Edo State since yesterday for the Commissioner of Police, the world should be aware in case of necessity. I will continue to fight for mass of our people until we achieved uhuru.”
Few days ago, he added: “This is to apprise you that on the 28th day of March, 2017 at about 8:30 PM, I received a phone call from this phone number (08117387210) the caller introduced himself as Jasphet from Sapele Road and told me that I was the one that helped him out when he had a case at State CID, he requested to see me so that we can drink together as a way to show appreciation for what I did for him, he also told me that his friend had an issue with the police that needed my intervention.
“I told him point blank that I am presently not in Edo State because the state is fast becoming a police state under CP Haliru Gwandu who don’t want to see people protesting peacefully to draw the attention of government to the plights, pangs and pains of our people . I later promised to refer him to somebody that can handle the case properly for him.
“When we profiled the number, we discovered that (Juli one) is the name that was used to register the number and we also find out that the photograph is that of a police officer attached to the Anti Kidnapping Unit of the State Command Headquarters.
“It should be noted that since I left the state, my family members have been observing strange movement of people around our house which forced me to also relocate them to my village for safety .”
It could be recalled that the leader of Benin Solidarity Movement, Curtis Ugbo is currently in detention, arrested and charged by the commissioner of police for protesting the neglect of edo youths in the state, and demanding the claim of Edo territory.
Curtis was hit with two count charges of treason: plans to invade Nigeria and to bomb oil pipeline.
More Stories
SERAP Demands Answers from Akpabio and Abbas Over ‘Fictitious’ N1.3bn Council Allocation
‘Probe alleged diversion of N6.3 billion constituency project funds’, SERAP tells Akpabio, Abbas.
Global Rights Observatory Issues Urgent Advisory to Nigeria Over Harassment of Anti-Corruption Group
SERAP to Akpabio, Abbas: ‘Refund N110bn Spent on Luxury Cars and Unlawful Allowances Now’
Edo Governor Vows Two-Week-Special Court to Fast-Track Death Sentences for Kidnappers and Cultists
