Amadi
In 2002, Mr. Godwin Amadi was a police inspector attached to Ago Iwoye Police Division in Ogun State.
But things went awry with Amadi, whose
Force number was 107683, when his former boss, the Divisional Police
Officer of the station, accused him of mutiny.
He said his superiors in the division
said he was too vocal and was instigating other members of the rank and
file against the authorities.
This allegation, according to him, resulted in his being demoted from inspector to corporal.
Thereafter, he alleged that he was detained for 30 days before he was released.
He sent an appeal to the Ogun State Police Command and the police headquarters, Abuja.
He said the police authorities ordered an orderly room trial in Abeokuta.
Amadi said, “I went for the orderly room trial ordered by Abuja. I was discharged and acquitted.”
He said while waiting for the
restoration of his rank from the headquarters, his alleged tormentors
continued to harass him, adding that his life and his wife’s were
threatened.
Amadi said, “Because of all the threats and harassment, I lost interest in the job since I did not want to die prematurely.
“I went to Abuja to know if they had got
signal about my acquittal at the orderly room trial. Through my
contacts there (Abuja), I saw in the file that the charge against me had
been dropped and that I was not found guilty,” the policeman said.
He said he was shocked when he found out
that rather than being reinstated as an Inspector, he got a letter
promoting him to Sergeant.
He added, “I did not accept it. I decided to resign but they did not grant my resignation.
“I refused to collect my salaries for
six months to indicate that I was not interested in the work anymore
because of the harassment, intimidation and injustice. After the six
months, I left the force.”
Amadi said 10 years after that voluntary
resignation from the force, which he served for 23 years, his gratuity,
pension and discharge certificate had not been given to him.
Amadi, who spoke with our correspondent,
amid sobs, said he had been living from hand to mouth since then and
could no longer fend for his family.
The 50-year-old man appealed to the
Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Muhammed Abubakar, the Police Service
Commission and the relevant agencies to come to his aid.
“I want them to revisit the matter to bring all those behind my ordeal to book,” Amadi pleaded.
Amadi, father of five, said frustration
had led him into commercial motorcycle operation, proceeds of which are
inadequate for him and his family.
But the Police Public Relations Officer,
Ogun State Command, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, in a text message to our
correspondent on Wednesday, said the command was not aware of Amadi’s
case.
“I am not aware of the case but he
(Amadi) should have written to that effect. However, he can still write
to the commissioner of police and the CP will look into that,” Adejobi
said.
Also, the Force PRO, Mr. Frank Mba, said
he could not respond to issue offhand. He advised our correspondent to
furnish him with necessary details and particulars of the victim to
enable the police verify the authenticity of his claims.
Our correspondent obliged his request
indicating the victim’s name, station last served, charges, DPO of the
station and the officer in charge of the orderly room trial, among
others.
However, since our correspondent did
that on Sunday, Mba had yet to respond to the enquiry. Subsequent calls
to his telephone line rang out.
PUNCH
No comments:
Post a Comment