Food vendor drags woman police to Human Right group for refusing to pay for her food

Nwanguma

Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) has written to police authourity in Port Harcourt, to draw attention and request a prompt, impartial and exhaustive investigation into the allegations of oppressive conduct and abuse of power brought by Mrs. Edith against a woman police officer, identified as Ms. Iwokette.

Iwokette is a Police Officer currently serving at Elimgbu Divisional Police Headquarters, Igwuruta road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Mrs. Edith, a Nigerian citizen who sells recharge cards and also usually assists the owner of Uche’s Kitchen, cited NOPRIN about two instances incidents where Iwokette used the power of the uniform arbitrarily.

NOPRIN spokesman, Okechukwu Nwanguman, recollecting the reports of Mrs. Edith said: “The said police officer, Iwokette had for some time, been indebted to Uche’s Kitchen, a restaurant located at Number 18, Igwuruta Road, Elimgbu, Port Harcourt, adjacent to Elimgbu Police Station, and that all efforts to recover this said debt had proved abortive.

“On September 10, 2012, a staff of Uche’s Kitchen reminded Iwokette of the said debt. Instead of settling the said debt, Iwokette retorted by informing this staff that her (Iwokette) salary will suffice to buy the individual, hence she should no longer demand from her the payment of the debt.

“As Iwokette was berating the staff of Uche’s Kitchen for demanding payment of her debts, Edith intervened and advised Iwokette to settle the debt, whereupon an exchange of words ensued between Iwokette and Edith.

“Later on that same day, Iwokette, taking advantage of her position as a police officer, conspired with some of her colleagues and got Edith arrested at about 17:00 hours and placed her behind the counter without being charged with any crime.”

Nwanguman maintained that the Divisional Crime Officer(DCO), Mr. Joseph, where Iwokette worked, while leaving the office around 22:00 hours on that day, spotted Edith behind the counter, and inquired from her why she was detained.

After listening to her story, the DCO ordered her release and asked both parties (Edith and Iwokette) to report at his office by 11:00 hours of the following day, September 11, 2012 for resolution.

“The next day- September 11, 2012, Edith reported to the DCO as directed, but Iwokette was nowhere to be found, hence the DCO dismissed the case. The IPO in this case was Mr. Chinedu Oganigwe,” said Nwanguman. “The second incident happened on September 26, 2012, when the DCO invited Edith to the police station and requested for a recharge card. While leaving the station to go and get the recharge card, Edith ran into Temi, another police officer currently serving at Elimgbu Divisional Police Headquarters.

“While they were exchanging pleasantries, Iwokette interrupted them, asking Edith if she does not know how to greet, whereupon Edith explained that she did not see her, more so, greeting was not mandatory. Immediately, Iwokette walked aggressively to Edith and ordered her to leave the police station, with a clear instruction never to be seen within the vicinity again.

“While Temi tried to calm the situation, Iwokette slapped Edith and pushed her out of the station. Edith reported this incident to the DCO when he later went to her shop to collect the recharge card he had earlier requested for (as Edith could no longer deliver the recharge card to him because Iwokette had barred her from entering the station). Again, no action was taken against Iwokette for this unprovoked act of aggression and gross misconduct.”

NOPRIN said that if Iwokette’s conducts, was found to be true, that it was quite unbecoming of a police officer in a civilised, free and democratic society.

“They corrode public confidence and cause a further dent on the image of the police. Her conducts are inconsistent with the current effort to reform the police and make them people-friendly. Her conducts are also utterly out of line with the IGP’s repeated warning to police officers to desist from conducts or acts capable of further undermining public trust, respect and cooperation.

“The police are expected to protect the citizens and not to harass, victimise or oppress them. We therefore request you to order a thorough and honest investigation with a view to imposing appropriate disciplinary actions on Iwokette if she is found to have indeed been involved in these acts of misconduct in violation of the Police Act and codes of conduct.  This is necessary to check impunity and reassure the citizen that the NPF is a service organisation and not a predatory force.”