Execution of four suspects: Police deny extrajudicial killings

The South East Zone of Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) has petitioned the Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade over alleged torture and execution of four suspects in police custody at Enugu State.
The petition signed by Olu Omotayo, Zonal Director, of CLO, and copied to Chairman Police Affairs Commission, IGP Mike Okiro (rtd), named the four suspects as: Dennis
Nwode, Obinna Nwode, Goodluck Echezona Igwenagu and Onyeka Nnaji.
But the Enugu State Police Command has denied the allegation, saying the petition was frivolous.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the report was negative and untrue, adding that the suspects were still alive and would be charged to court after investigation.
The petition by CLO alleged that the suspects were executed on   November 26, 2013, At the Anti-Kidnapping Base, Enugu.
CLO said it had, prior to the said extra-judicial killings, petitioned the State Commissioner of Police, Adamu Mohammed and the Head of Anti-Kidnapping Unit,  to give them access to the suspects, after their parents complained that they were denied access to them since their arrest on November 5 and 6,  2013 respectively.
“We got no response to our letter seeking permission to have access to the detainees and on November, 21,  2013, a member of the Board of Governors of the Civil Liberties Organisation, Dr. Gambo Danjuma went with Mrs. Igwenagu the mother of Goodluck Echezona Igwenagu and Mrs. Nwode the mother of Obinna Nwode and Dennis Nwode, the driver to Reverend  Father,  Nwaifor Ani, the complainant in the matter; to the Anti-Kidnapping Base and after waiting for several hours,  they were able to see the commander of the Base, Supol Alex, a Superintendent of Police.
“The Commander still refused these people access to the detainees. Rather he threatened to deal with them as armed robbery suspects and further stated that the Police were still waiting to receive instructions from the Reverend Father’s complainant.
“We made frantic efforts to stop the killings because we know the notoriety of the men of this Base, because that was how one Stanley Nnamani arrested with his pregnant wife on July, 14, 2013, and finally executed in the presence of his pregnant wife after he was thoroughly brutalized. On November, 27, 2013, we still made a petition to the Chairman, Police Service Commission and copied the Inspector General of Police, wherein we prayed for access to these detainees. The said petition, which contained facts of this case, is hereby attached to this letter,” the petition stated.
The civil rights body stated that it dawned on them late in the evening of November 27 that all their efforts in respect of the matter had come to naught, when their further investigations revealed that the four detainees had been summarily
executed after they had been incapacitated through series of torture they received over the past three weeks of their detention at the Base. They were all executed in the early hours of November, 26, 2013.”
The petition continues: “The position of the Law in Nigeria is that, it is only the High Court that has the powers to sentence to death any citizen found guilty of committing an offence punishable with death after due trial. The law even went further to specify the mode of such execution, which must be
by hanging. The Commissioner of Police or any police officer, however high ranking he may be, cannot take over these powers vested in the courts in this country. It should be noted that even under the military regime, suspects were still tried before the various tribunals which were operational then.”
While demanding for the immediate arrest and prosecution for murder of Supol Alex and all the officers who allegedly partook in the act, CLO insisted the killing was extra-judicial.

“We condemn in all ramifications, this act of extra judicial killing, it is unlawful, barbaric and unconstitutional. This is a civilized nation and not that of savages where the Rule of the Law can be jettison at will and resort made to the Rule of the jungle. Human beings are not chickens, that their right to life should be subjected to the mood, whims and caprices of security agents. Our position is that any citizen arrested for committing an offence should be taken before a court of competent jurisdiction; trial of accused persons; evaluation of evidences, etc, are the constitutional duty of the court.”