The Special Investigation Panel, set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to investigate the allegations of extrajudicial killings, extortion, unprofessionalism and high-handedness against police officers attached to the Anambra State Command and Zone 13 Ukpo-Dunukofia, has commenced a full-scale investigation.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said investigators had moved to scenes and sites for on-the-spot-assessment, adding that the police promised to reorganise the Rapid Response Squad in Anambra.
Adejobi said, “The Nigeria Police Force wishes to disabuse the minds of well-meaning members of the public and all interested stakeholders that the panel comprising respected and thoroughbred officers, including officers of the IGP Monitoring Unit, reports directly to the Inspector-General of Police, and shall discharge the responsibility professionally and ensure justice.
“The NPF also reassures that the Anambra RRS, Okuzu, will definitely be reorganised and sanitised to suit the present ideologies and administrative styles of the Force leadership in conformity with international best practices.
“Furthermore, it is imperative to clear the air that the officers fingered in the trending allegation were never arrested or detained. Rather, they were summoned to the Force Headquarters for interrogation in order to have a clue on the trending allegations.
“It is, however, crucial to state that this process/development will not in any way truncate the current conscientious investigation into the allegations as many aggrieved persons have reached out to the panel for more deliberations and information sharing.”
The accused officers were identified as one CSP Patrick Agbazue, the officer-in-charge of the RRS, alleged to be a member of a syndicate involved in the alleged kidnapping, torture and murder of citizens.
Also fingerered were the Public Relations Officer of Zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo-Dunukofia, SP Nwode Nkeiruka, and Inspector Harrison Akama, who is attached to the RRS in the state.
