Anambra State Police Command has ordered an investigation into the allegation of extortion and unlawful detention of a resident by some policemen at the Onitsha Central Police Station.
The police command in a statement by its spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, on Saturday, vowed to uncover and punish the officers involved in the “ignominious act”.
A human rights activist and Coordinator of Behind Bars Human Rights Foundation, Harrison Gwamnishu, had narrated how the arrest, extortion and unlawful detention were carried out by the policemen.
Gwamnishu said the victim, identified as Chidiebere, was on July 4, arrested after he left the Shoprite mall, where he had gone to make purchases.
He said the policemen involved, including one Harrison Emerenini, saw him with an iPhone and arrested him.
According to him, the victim was later extorted to the tune of N600,500, after he was threatened to be labelled as an IPOB member.
The human rights activist said Chidiebere was arrested at 7:45pm, thrown into the cell, and was released at about 2am, after paying the said amount.
He added that after the intervention by his group, the victim was paid the extorted money in full.
But while reacting to the allegations, Ikenga said, “The attention of Anambra State Police Command has been drawn to a trending report from social media on extorted but recovered money from a policeman in the Command.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng, has directed the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of X-Squad to investigate and unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The CP, who frowned at such an act, reiterated that the command under his watch, would not tolerate any form of unprofessional conduct by police personnel.
“He also urged the citizens to report any police alterations or misconducts to X-Squad and the Public Complaints Bureau of the Command.”
