Edo State Police Command has set up an inquiry to unravel the disappearance of a suspect who was said to have escaped from the Custody of Esigie Police Station in Benin City.
The Vigilante Group at Agbor Road, was said to have arrested the suspect on the 3rd of September, 2021, and handed him over to the Police for investigation.
In a petition written to the Commissioner of Police, Edo State, Philip Aliyu Ogbadu, a legal practitioner, Emmanuel Idahosa Esq. has raised alarm over the action of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and the Divisional Criminal Officer (DCO) of Esigie Police Station for releasing a suspect who burgled Complex No. 148, Ikpoba Slope, Benin City and carted away valuable items.
He said, the suspect was taken to Oregbeni Police Station with the items robbed including the sum of N50,000.00 (Fifty thousand naira) which the suspect wanted to use to bribe the vigilante men. The suspect and the items were later referred to Esigie Police Station for jurisdiction purpose.”
According to Barrister Idahosa, “the Vigilante Group at Agbor Road, Benin City, arrested the suspect on the 3rd September, 2021. The suspect was taken to Oregbeni Police Station with the items robbed including the sum of N50,000.00 (Fifty thousand naira) which the suspect wanted to use to bribe the vigilante men. The suspect and the items were later referred to Esigie Police Station for jurisdiction purpose.”
He said, “Some of the complainants and Barrister Idahosa were present when the matter was incidented at Esigie. The DPO, Esigie Police Station, after interview did promised that he was going to refer the matter to the State CID for investigation, but were surprised that the DCO said he was going to investigate the matter by himself at Esigie.
“We were told on the 6th of September, 2021 that the suspect escaped from the custody of the police at Esigie. Information at our disposal is to the effect that the suspect gang came to buy their man out of the station.”
The action by the Esigie DPO and DCO, the petitioner claimed have exposed the vigilante men, the complainants and other members of the society to danger.
The petitioner therefore call on the Edo State Commissioner of Police, to call Esigie DPO and DCO, to order, so that they can explain to the whole world their involvement/role they played in allowing the suspect to escape.
Meanwhile, sources close to Edo State Police Command told Popular News that the matter is before the state police command and the policemen involved have been invited by the Commissioner of Police, to explain their involvement in the allegations levelled against them.
