The Abia State Police Command has dismissed a Mobile Police officer for unethical conduct, emphasizing its commitment to maintaining discipline within the force.
In a statement on Wednesday, the command confirmed that the officer had been de-kitted and officially dismissed after facing disciplinary proceedings.
The police authorities reiterated their stance on zero tolerance for misconduct, assuring the public that erring officers would be held accountable.
A press statement the command issued on Wednesday and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO DSP Maureen Chinaka on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Danladi Isa, read, “The public is hereby notified that Inspector Kufere Moses, formerly serving at Mopol 55 PMF Aba and attached to UBA Bank Guard in Aba, Abia State has been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force, effective 21st February 2025. He has also been de-kitted, and all police accoutrements have been retrieved from him.
“This action follows administrative disciplinary measures taken against him by the command for ‘discreditable conduct and offences against discipline’.
Isa reaffirmed the command’s zero tolerance for unprofessional conduct and assured the public that the command will not condone the activities of bad elements within the force.
“Under my leadership, the command remains committed to the Inspector General of Police’s vision of ensuring a professionally competent, service-driven, rule-of-law-compliant and people-friendly police force”, the CP said.
All efforts to get relevant police authorities for further details on the offence proved abortive as none could be reached.
The Ogun State government has shut down Perfect Light Nursery and Primary School in Eyinogbe, near Igode, Sagamu Local Government Area, over the alleged defilement of a pupil by the headmaster, Ashafa Afelaja.
The school was also found to be operating illegally, according to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Dr. Ronke Soyombo, who announced the closure on Wednesday after visiting the school.
Soyombo condemned the alleged abuse and the poor learning conditions at the school, assuring the community that the government and the state police command were investigating the matter.
She added that legal action would be taken against the suspect.
She assured the community that the state government, in conjunction with the state police command, had stepped into the matter and would ensure adequate investigation, while legal sanctions would be taken against the perpetrator.
Soyombo said, “The commitment of the government towards providing conducive learning conditions for the betterment of learners in both private and public schools irrespective of their level remains uppermost in the mind of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s led administration.Related News
“I hereby urge parents to take good care of their children making sure they are not exposed to social vices.
She added that the Ministry of Education was working with the Ministries of Health and Women Affairs to conduct medical examinations and ensure the affected child’s well-being.
Other pupils from the closed school would be transferred to the nearest public primary school in Igode.
“This is to again sound a stern note of warning to perpetrators of evil acts to leave the state alone because the current administration will not take it easy with people who are not ready to abide by the rules of the land,” she said.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye, had earlier facilitated the rescue and medical care of the victim, while the suspect, Afelaja, was arrested by the police for interrogation.
No fewer than 23 states chairmen and other executives, throughout the federation, were inaugurated on Wednesday by the national leadership of the Chartered Institute of Transport Admnistration of Nigeria, CIOTA. The inaugural ceremony of opening state chapters of CIOTA, which was conducted in Abuja by the President, Dr. Segun Obayendo, accompanied by other national leaders was also done through virtual meeting with Zonal Executives in attendance. TheCaveat.com.ng reports that the TRACE Area Commander, Ogun West, Cdr Ajibade Adekunle, emerged the current Chairman of Ogun State Chapter of CIOTA, and took the oath of office and allegiance alongside seven other Executive officers. Other executive officers inducted alongside Ajibade as Ogun State CIOTA Executives include Margaret Emem Ogunbiyi, Vice Chairman, Odeyemi Agness, Secretary, Adewunmi Babatunde, Assistant Secretary, Filani Morolake Waleola, Fin. Sec. Yakub Azeez Oyegbenga, Treasurer, Jimoh Fatai Kehinde, as Provost, and Dr Taiwo Ali, as Auditor.
In his remarks, Commander General and the Chief Executive Officer, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, TRACE, Cdr ‘Seni Ogunyemi, charged the State chairmen and other executive officers to stem the rising tide of road crashes involving trailers and tankers on Nigerian roads through advocacy and enlightenment. He gave this charge on Wednesday during the inauguration of the new Executives, while officially declaring open the temporary office of the Ogun State chapter of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria, CIOTA, in Abeokuta. Cdr Ogunyemi who is the South-West Zonal Coordinator of CIOTA said the newly inaugurated state executives should hit the ground running by embarking on aggressive membership drive to bring in more qualified transport personnel into the fold in order to bring sanity into transportation in the country. Speaking on the enormous responsibility bestowed on him as the Ogun State Chairman of CIOTA, Ajibade said with capable egg heads executives with him he was sure CIOTA in Ogun will perform wonders in achieving a lot within a short period of time. He spoke of plans to take CIOTA to Manufacturer Association of Nigeria, MAN as well as other governmental and nongovernmental organizations, saying CIOTA is an association that belongs to all other professions with the slogan “We are CIOTA, we are indispendable”. In his keynote address, the committee Chairman of CIOTA, Prof Samuel Odewumi said the inauguration of the state chapters marks a significant step in deepening the professional reach, impact, and efficiency of transport administration in Nigeria. His words: “Transport is the backbone of economic development, social integration, and national progress. Efficient transport systems facilitate commerce, ensure seamless mobility, and drive economic prosperity. “As Nigeria continues to evolve due to urbanization, technological advancements, and infrastructural growth, the role of professional transport administrators becomes more critical than ever. “Establishing state chapters under CIOTA represents a bold and strategic move to decentralize our operations, foster inclusivity, and promote regional development within the transport sector. Through these chapters, we aim to: “Enhance Professionalism and Capacity Building: Our commitment to training and capacity development remains unwavering.
” The state chapters will serve as hubs for knowledge sharing, skills development, and professional networking to equip transport administrators with cutting-edge expertise and global best practices. “Strengthen Policy Advocacy and Implementation: The transport sector thrives on sound policies and effective implementation. With active state chapters, we can engage with state governments, policymakers, and relevant stakeholders to advocate for progressive policies that will improve transport systems and infrastructure across Nigeria. “Promote Research and Innovation: Our transport sector’s challenges require innovative solutions. Our state chapters will facilitate research, data collection, and practical strategies to address traffic congestion, safety, sustainability, and multimodal transport systems. “Encourage Stakeholder Engagement: Transport administration is a collective responsibility. We will work closely with government agencies, private sector players, academia, and the general public to foster collaboration and shared responsibility in advancing Nigeria’s transport sector. “Increase Membership and Public Awareness: CIOTA’s growth and sustainability depend on an active and engaged membership base. The state chapters will spearhead membership drives, awareness campaigns, and community outreach programs to ensure transport professionals recognize the benefits of joining and contributing to our institute.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE EVENT Milestone in CIOTA’s Growth and Expansion: The inauguration of state chapters marks a new era in the professionalization of transport administration in Nigeria, strengthening CIOTA’s presence nationwide. Decentralization and Regional Development: By creating state chapters, CIOTA ensures localized implementation of its objectives, fostering direct engagement with state governments and transport professionals at the grassroots level. Enhancement of Professionalism and Capacity Building: The event signals the beginning of a more structured approach to training and professional development, allowing CIOTA to provide more accessible resources for skill enhancement. Strengthening of Policy Advocacy and Implementation: The establishment of state chapters enables targeted advocacy for improved transport policies and infrastructure, with a focus on state-specific transport challenges and opportunities. Promotion of Research and Innovation in Transport Administration: State chapters will facilitate data collection and research efforts, contributing to evidence-based solutions for Nigeria’s transport issues. Encouraging Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration: The event fosters partnerships between government, industry leaders, academia, and the private sector, ensuring a more unified voice in influencing transport policies. Expansion of CIOTA Membership and Public Awareness: The inauguration serves as a platform to attract new members and build a more diverse professional community while raising awareness about CIOTA’s role and benefits. Catalyst for Sustainable Transport Development: The event aligns with Nigeria’s broader goals of achieving a sustainable and efficient transport system, ensuring improved safety, efficiency, and sustainability in transport administration. Commitment to Excellence and Integrity: It highlights CIOTA’s dedication to upholding high ethical and professional standards in transport management, shaping the future of Nigeria’s transport sector. National Development and Economic Growth: Efficient transport systems contribute significantly to economic progress, and CIOTA’s expansion supports this objective by addressing challenges and fostering solutions at state and national levels.
The Police Service Commission today, Tuesday, March 18th 2025, continued with it’s ongoing Plenary Meeting with the promotion of 219 senior Police Officers of different ranks.The Commission had on Monday approved the promotion of 66 Officers that included 20 Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors General of Police and 19 Deputy Commissioners to the substantive rank of Commissioners. Others were 13 Superintendents of Police to Chief Superintendents and 14 Deputy Superintendents of Police to Superintendents. The Commission today approved the promotion of 26 Assistant Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Deputy Commissioners; 23 Chief Superintendents of Police to Assistant Commissioners and 170 Assistant Superintendents of Police to Deputy Superintendents. The Assistant Commissioners of Police elevated to the next rank are; Tarzan Yusuf Tsav, Area Commander, Irrua, Edo State who was also a former Area Commander, Uromi in the same state; Samantha Nansah Barko, ACP SCID, Bauchi state Command; Shehu Wase Abdullahi, Area Commander Kazaure, Jigawa State Command; Ajeigbe Olayinka, Area Commander, Area ‘M’ Idimu, Lagos; Abubakar Haruna, Area Commander, Metro, Jos, Plateau State; Elisha Daniel Bawa, ACP Operations Kwara State Command; Ibrahim Abdul Ahmed, Area Commander, Katsina-Ala, Benue State; Williams Aboi Tawon, ACP Department of Finance and Administration, Zone 7, Abuja and Elija Sunny Dangana, ACP CID, Oyo State, ACP Provost, Force Headquarters, Lagos Annex and ACP CID Maritime Command, Force Headquarters, Annex, Lagos.Others are; Bello Wudil Hamisu, ACP Eastern By-Pass, Kano; Usanga Ime Bassey, ACP DFA, Cross Rivers State; Alice Ajuma Abbah, ACP PSFU, Abuja; ACP Abdulaziz Aliyu, ACP Anti Human Trafficking, FCID Abuja; ACP Yahaya Usman, Area Commander, Degema, Rivers state; Mohammed Abdullahi, Area Commander Ringim, Jigawa State; Shehu Garba, Assistant Director, Operations, North West Zone, office of the National Security Adviser; Tukur Garba, ACP, Operations, Jigawa State; Dankwano Wilson, Commander PMF 11, Calabar; Mohammed Mujitaba Makama, Area Commander, Dutsinma Katsina State and Hassan Yahaya, Area Commander, Nsukka, Enugu State.Charles Okafor, ACP Cyber Security, Info-Tech Abuja; Raphael Aiwansosa, ACP Admin Communication, Force Headquarters Abuja; Frances Olufemi Oshuporu; Commandant PCIT, Abeokuta; Kangiwa Ibrahim; Director ICT, POLAC; Donald King Ibanga, ACP Information Management System, Force Headquarters and Andatu Pati Magaji of the Police Reference Hospital, Utako, Abuja make up the 26 Assistant Commissioners promoted to Deputy Commissioners.
The 22 Chief Superintendents of Police promoted to Assistant Commissioners include; Ibrahim Kayode Ajanaku; Uduaku Bassey Edet; Kabir Afolabi Kazeem; Abubakar MU’azu Dalhatu; Tudun- wada Munir Ahmad; Alhaji Bello Oro and Bashir Kachala. Others also include; Egbeyemi Olayinka Saheed, former Commander Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences, Former Commander, Rapid Response Squad, Lagos State and Commander Raider, D9 Section of Lagos State CID, Panti Lagos; Theophilus Emeka Eze, DPO, Ihiala, Anambra State and also former DPO Ogbunike of the same State.Some of the 170 Assistant Superintendents of Police promoted to the next rank of Deputy Superintendents are; Gombwer Wokdung; Bulus Danjuma; Mohammed Usman; Yusuf Ibrahim , Katsina State Command; Ahmad Katama, Kano state Command; Danjuma Musa, Kaduna State Command and Ugwuanyi Obinna Peter 2i/c Anti Kidnapping section, Zonal CID Zone 13 Ukpo, Anambra State.Others are; Abraham Albert, Mopol 50, kubwa, Abuja; Abduljalal Bello Muhammad, Police College Kaduna; Ezeme Lambert Obinna, Anambra state Command and Usman Musa Said, Kano state Command amongst others.Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd, mni told the Officers during the promotion examination and interactive interview that promotion exams have come to stay. DIG Argungu said the Police must accept the reality that every public servant must be subjected to promotion examinations. He noted that the Commission will not promote any Police Officer who has not gone through one form of examination or the other in line with the existing public service Rules.DIG Taiwo Lakanu, fdc, Honourable Commissioner representing the Police and Chief Onyemuchi Nnamani were part of the interview panel and supervised the written examination.
Investigative journalist, JULIANA FRANCIS, continues with the expose of the frightful inhuman treatment of detainees in the Anti-kidnapping Unit, known as Tiger Base Police in Owerri, Imo State Police Command. She further tells how Nigeria Police Personnel’s avariciousness pushes them into getting involved in civil matters, which is against the law.
We Saw Detainees With Bullet Wounds, Paid N250,00 For Bail -Reverend
When this reporter met and spoke with Reverend Victor, he appeared to still be reeling in shock. He could not understand why he was arrested for being the ‘good guy’ in a scandalous incident.
He did not just express shock, he also expressed anger and disappointment with the Tiger Base Police’s unprofessionalism.
He said that he was tagged a hardened criminal because he tried to seek justice for a girl-child who was sexually molested by her grandfather. The Reverend explained that his uncle raped his granddaughter, and the girl would later cry out.
He remembered: “I am the chairman of our family, and my wife is the chair lady of the extended family. It was during a fact-finding mission that we shockingly discovered that the abuse of the granddaughter by my uncle started in Lagos State.
“My uncle was caught and arrested in Lagos, but he bribed his way out and quickly relocated to the village. It’s because he is an old man that the girl was sent to stay with him, and he continued with the violation.
“The girl, who is now 18 years old, could not take it anymore, cried out. We heard her cries, and along with the elders of our family, we called and questioned him. He got angry and picked a quarrel.
“He said my wife and I collaborated and asked the girl to lay false allegations against him. He went to court and sued us for defamation. He said we will pay him N50 million for damages. The elders told him that the accusing finger was pointing at him, that he should state the truth.”
On the 27th of October 2024 around 1:5 a.m., Police surrounded the Reverend’s house. They knocked and when he opened it, they were on him like fleas. He said that he was not even allowed to put on his slippers before he and his were bundled out. But he luckily, quickly alerted his relatives. The couple was dragged to Tiger Base Police.
Victor said sadly: “A policeman there asked why his colleagues would go to our house at that hour to arrest us, that they only arrest criminals at that hour. The way Tiger Base Police personnel carry out operations is not good. It gives the Nigeria Police a bad name. They are simply heartless and don’t care about humanity. During the short time we spent there, we saw people with gunshot wounds on their legs.
“Some of those policemen, after breaking a suspect’s leg, would start treating him. Again, they are supposed to investigate a matter before arrest, but they will arrest someone without investigating anything.
“Even if someone writes a petition, Police should investigate, so they don’t end up killing innocent people for nothing! For instance, my wife and I would have been killed if not for God. What crime did we commit? The State and Federal governments should know that what is going on at Tiger Base is wrong!
“The government should investigate that place and it should be dismantled. Sometimes, a church will be in session, these Tiger Base Policemen will storm the place, destroy the altar, and then whisk people away. I paid N250,000 for our bail.”
Tenant, Landlady Disagreement Ends Up At Tiger Base
Opara is another person dragged to Tiger Base, not because of a criminal matter, but because he had an altercation with his landlady. The landlady is the owner of, not just his shop, but also his apartment.
He said that his shop rent expired in July and he was supposed to renew in August, while the house rent would expire in December.
He was served a quit notice on both properties in March to vacate in June. His lawyer wrote to the landlady, asking that Opara be allowed to exhaust his running rent, but rather than comply, he was sued. The matter went to court, and in that process, his landlady disconnected his electricity. He and the landlady had a standoff over the disconnection.
He would later be arrested and taken to Tiger Base. He said that he was shocked witless by his IPO, identified as Esther’s hostility towards him.
His words: “The IPO assigned to my case is called Esther. When she came and called my name, I stepped forward and she screamed at me, ‘Thunder will fire you! You will die here! You’re a criminal! Your landlady said you should pack out, you don’t want to, do you know how much they sell cement.’
“I pleaded with her to allow me to explain my side of the incident, but she refused to listen, rather she continued to tell me that I would die in prison. She drafted my statement. When my wife, her brother and my lawyer came to start processing my bail, I was asked to pay N700,000 for bail, but after many negotiations, it was reduced to N200,000. I was arrested on the 24th and they collected my phone. I was released on the 30th.
“I was asked to sign an undertaking that I would vacate on or before the 30th of December while my rent was still running. The Police said if I failed to vacate, they would rearrest me. I wrote the undertaking, and my lawyer was there.
“I pointed out to them that it was a civil case, but the police said that even if it was, I should have vacated the apartment after a quit notice was issued. They asked me if the building belonged to me and if I knew how much a plot of land is sold.”
Activist Detained For Bringing Food For Detainee
Mazi Amadi Innocent Obi is a human rights activist once detained at Tiger Base; his offence was that he brought food for a young relative of his called Chuks, who was detained there.
He explained that Chuks and some youths fought over land and Chuks sustained serious injuries. Eyewitnesses told Obi that Chuks and three other youngsters were taken away and nobody knew who took them and where they were taken.
Obi said: “We started looking for them and went to hospitals, but we finally found Chuks at the Police hospital in Owerri, he was on a drip. That night we found him; he couldn’t talk. He was covered in blood.”
The activist said that when he went the following day to visit Chuks, he was surprised to hear that he had been dragged to Tiger Base by some police personnel despite his life-threatening injuries.
Obi initially did not know that it was operatives from Tiger Base who came to pick him up. He started looking for Chuks and then went to the Imo State Police Command Headquarters. He said that he had to pay N5000 before he was told where Chuks was being held.
His words: “I had to pay the media section of the police headquarters N5000 just for them to make a call, to know where Chuks was being held. I moved to Tiger Base.”
When he was heading out, he ensured that he went with food for Chuks and the other youngsters. Obi, reflecting on the day of the event, leading to the arrest of Chuks and others, said: “The day Police came into the village, they arrested a whole lot of people, just to make sure that the money they would later request from the arrested people would be huge.
“In the evening, I made sure to go with food enough for the boys. After giving them the food, the police detained me. I didn’t commit any crime, just that I came to give Chuks and others food. They removed my shoe and everything and just like that I was detained for two days.
“Over 30 of us crammed into a room. We couldn’t breathe; it was a dead zone. In the night, people will be fanning themselves. The cell next to me is called Dead End, people die there every day. Many of them were hungry and I saw them eating their faeces. They ate poop!
“I was there for two days, and it was a traumatising two days. I got an infection within those two days, and I suffered it for almost three months. I had to look for ways to send messages to my colleagues to come and bail me. When I came out, I told our village people that we should mobilise to get those boys out, but our people ran away because they were scared of Tiger Base Police. Finally, my colleague, Majorie Ezihe got every one of us out.”
Detainees Were Shot In My Presence, I Escaped Rape -Mary
Mary was arrested along the road and taken to Tiger Base Police and spent over nine months in detention, while her family members were frantically looking for her. She would later find out that she was arrested because the police alleged her of being an IPOB member’s girlfriend.
She said: “I didn’t commit any crime, they were looking for someone and just because that person was on my phone contact list, they arrested and tortured me. After I was taken to Tiger Base Police in Owerri, I received countless slaps, beatings, and punches, of which I’m still suffering from the effect to date. I am always feeling chest and neck pains.
“The neck pains are the worst for me. I’ve been going to the hospital, but doctors cannot seem to understand the pain or find a solution to it. I have been on drugs, and I cannot sneeze well and cannot sing beyond a certain pitch.
“My vocal cord was affected during the torture. I escaped being raped twice by policemen at Tiger Base. I slept on the bare floor of the cell. For all IPOB cases, we were given food once a day.
“Detainees are killed after staying in detention for months and even innocent people are paraded as criminals or IPOB. Detainees killed by the Police are mostly innocent of any crime. Even if someone is innocent, the person will be paraded, along with some weapons that the person knows nothing about.
“Whenever a detainee is called out by 8:pm, just know that the person is gone; he is never coming back. When I was there, I heard about a pit where these policemen dump the corpses of killed detainees, but I don’t know its location. Even as I am speaking with you, these killings are still happening! It is even worse now than before. The Commander of that Tiger Base, Mr Oladimeji, is a very heartless man. He has killed many innocent souls.
“He comes to the cells twice daily to count us, both male and female. Each time we go for counting, he takes notes of faces that had been long in detention. If he has seen someone who has been there for a long, he would tell his policemen that he doesn’t want to see the person next time he comes to count. It means they should kill the person.
“Many young Nigerians have died inside that place, killed by these policemen. They have shot detainees before my eyes. Many souls were lost! Female detainees, including myself, do their laundry, and dishes, and sweep and clean offices.
“Detainees are hanged and almost all detainees there are tagged as killers, criminals, terrorists, kidnappers! Those were all the trump-up charges against me.”
Businessman Arrested Twice Over Same Case, Extorted N700,000
This reporter caught up with Mr Edu, a businessman based in Anambra State, who was arrested and taken to Tiger Base Police in Imo State, due to an unsatisfactory business dealing between him and his customer.
It was a civil case. The incident happened in 2023. He disclosed that he was arrested twice over the same matter and in both instances, he was heavily extorted.
He explained that he sent money to his customer, who confirmed receiving the payment. The customer, however, later claimed that the complete payment earlier noticed in his account, was no longer so. The matter was taken to the market union, which launched an investigation.
Before the union was done, Policemen from Imo State came to pick him up in Anambra State. He was later released and given a date for what the police termed an interview.
When he came for the interview on the 23rd of April, the police who arrested him, granted him bail, but the complainant was not satisfied, thereafter Edu was rearrested and then detained from April to June.
He recounted: “It was on June 4th that the Police said that I would be charged to court, I said it was okay. However, rather than take me to court, I was moved to Tiger Base. When we got there, the detainees were like zombies, half dead and half alive. Some were just skeletons. It was a danger zone. Although it was only two days I spent at Tiger Base, I took to praying to God to get me out of there, not to allow me to die there. I almost died.
“Every late night, police will come and take some detainees away; you will think theywere being called because of documentation issues, but they will never return! The cells are tight. Mere touching of detainees there, you will contract infection. I contracted an infection there. This is 2025 and I am still treating myself for the infection I got there.”
Edu said that he would not have been released if not for someone reaching out to the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, who screamed at his men, asking why they detained Edu for over two months over a civil matter.
Edu said: “The first time I was arrested, I was detained for a month, that is 30 days. The second time, I was detained for two months, that’s like 60 days. Due to the intervention of the CP, I was told to get someone to take my bail. During my brief sojourn at Tiger Base, while fearing for my life, I got to listen to detainees I met there sharing their experiences.
“Some of them were tortured using a filing machine! I even got to see it with my own eyes. There is a place where the police have an engine outside the building. If they want to torture someone, if they want you to confess to a crime you didn’t commit, they will put your hand into the filing machine.
“It would be filing your body. Removing your body. Some detainees are tied and hanged. The torture there is just appalling. If you see the detainees at Tiger Base, you will weep!
“I met a man there who had spent over a year in detention. He said that he bought a car and one day while driving, police stopped him, claiming that the car was stolen by someone and sold to this detainee. He was arrested and dumped at Tiger Base.
“He told me so many horrible things going on there and then asked me to pray to God. He said that it was only God that could make the police release me from that hell. Some families were packed inside, along with their children.
“If you have a family quarrel, the relative that has the financial upper hand can cause you and your children to be dragged to that place. I saw children and old folks more than 80 years old in detention there. They were packed in the passage with their families. I saw children between the ages of six and seven. For the first arrest, I paid N400,000 for bail and the second arrest, I paid N300,000 for bail.”
I Almost Lost An Eye In Hands Of Tiger Base Police Personnel – Mr Promise
Mr Promise is another victim of Tiger Base Police Personnel. According to him, his boss had a marital squabble with his wife. The wife, in anger, went to Tiger Base and asked the police to arrest her husband. Unfortunately, on the day they came to grab her husband, he was not at home.
The policemen instead bundled Promise out of the house and then subjected him to severe beating.
Promise narrated: “They beat me recklessly, almost damaged one of my eyes. I was punched from different angles. I was detained for two weeks and three days.
“If you’re having an issue with someone and the person took the matter to Tiger Base Police, just understand that the person meant to kill you. Tiger Base Police is not a place for anyone to go. I would rather prefer to be locked up in prison than be detained at Tiger Base Police.
“It is the worst place for anyone to be. The place is like hell and the policemen operate like kidnappers. Once you’re arrested, they won’t allow you to reach out to your family members or friends. Many people are suffering there, and many have been there for months.
“After my release, I had been going to hospital because of the eye. The federal government should do everything possible to scrap or disband the Tiger Base Police. The way suspects are treated there is dreadful! When I was in detention, everyone they brought in to join us had injuries. I don’t know if beating and torturing people mercilessly is part of their rules there.”
Politician Kidnapped In Abuja By Tiger Base Police, Denied Lawyer, Medicare
Mrs Excel Ihekweme narrated how her husband, Dr Fabian Ihekweme, a former commissioner for foreign and international Affairs in Imo State, was ‘kidnapped’ in Abuja by operatives of Tiger Base Police.
Excel explained that her husband was arrested for criticising the poor governance going on in Imo State.
The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodima, allegedly miffed by the criticism of his former commissioner, wrote a petition against Fabian to the Police in Abuja, but it was allegedly discarded for lacking merit.
When the Police in Abuja refused to play ball, Tiger Base Police in Imo State were called and they stormed Abuja, and arrested Fabian. In the case of Fabian, Tiger Base Police were accused of illegal arrest, unlawful detention, and denying Fabian rights to Medicare and a lawyer.
Excel said: “We live in Abuja, so the governor sent a police team from Imo state to come to Abuja to arrest my husband. The Police in Abuja had earlier refused to arrest my husband, saying that his writings were within his Fundamental Human Rights. The Policemen from Tiger Base came to Abuja and abducted him from our house and took him to Imo State on the 27th of November 2024, till date (January, 2025).
“The Police refused to grant him bail and also refused to charge him in court. When he is visited by his sister, the police wouldn’t give them privacy for him to tell her what he is going through. However, the fact is that he is being held there illegally. These policemen just picked him up unannounced. He didn’t spend Christmas and New Year with us.”
Gloria Okolie Alleged Of Being IPOB Spy, Detained For Over 10 Months
The ordeal of Gloria Okolie will not be forgotten in a hurry by Nigerians and major Civil Society Organisations. Okolie was arrested on allegations of being a spy and girlfriend of IPOB.
The Police alleged that her bank account was being used to receive money from donors and sponsors of IPOB. She was taken to Tiger Base Police, and spent months there, before being moved to IRT Headquarters in Abuja.
The 21-year-old girl was arrested while on an errand for her parents. She and the commercial cyclist, who carried her on that day, were arrested. The police never reached out to her parents to tell them that Okolie had been arrested.
The distraught parents worried sick that something terrible had happened to Okolie, ran from pillar to post, searching for her, including going to police stations and mortuaries.
They had already given up hope of finding her when the cyclist, who was released by the police, went to tell them that Okolie was in the detention facility, sweeping, cooking, and doing the laundry for the police personnel.
Outraged human rights activists and lawyers had swung into action, working round the clock to secure her bail. All legal overtures made by lawyers and activists toward securing her release from prison were blocked by the police.
Eventually, she was granted bail on 23rd March 2022. There are speculations that she could have been violated by the police personnel.
The ECOWAS Court of Justice, in a judgment delivered, held the Federal Republic of Nigeria accountable for the unlawful detention and mistreatment of Okolie.
According to the applicants, Okolie was denied access to legal counsel, subjected to forced labour, and physically abused during her detention. The applicants argued that these actions breached several human rights instruments.
The court also awarded ₦10 million in compensation and issued directives to safeguard human rights.
Note: Some detainees who spoke with the reporter requested their real names should not be used to avoid being rearrested or targeted by Tiger Base Police Personnel.
This Report Was Supported By the Rule Of Law And Accountability Advocacy Centre As Part Of Its Interventions In Southeast Insecurity and Its Impact On Human Rights, Civic Space And Development.
A cloud of fear hangs over the people of Imo State in the southeast region of Nigeria. This fear has enveloped their minds and most pronounced among people, suspects, who had been ‘guests’ at the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Imo State Police Command, popularly known as Tiger Base Police.
The suspects who survived Tiger Base Police, while narrating in chilling details, their experiences, all said that it was akin to walking through the valley of the shadow of death,
A staggering number of former detainees refused to listen, let alone share their experiences due to fear of being rearrested or targeted.
The core mandate of the Anti-kidnapping Unit in Imo State Police Command is to investigate crimes that have to do with kidnapping, but the personnel currently are not playing by the rules guiding the Unit. Investigation shows that Police who are supposed to be protectors have become persecutors.
Many Detainees Collapse, Die In Detention – Chinonso
Beautiful Chinonso is one of the courageous people, who haltingly shared her story. It was because of her beauty that the intrepid human rights lawyer, Ms. Majorie Ezihe, who got her out of Tiger Base Police after three months in detention, fretted that the girl might have been sexually violated. Ezihe is planning to send her for therapy.
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Chinonso is a quiet girl, who hurriedly shared her ordeal with Tiger Base Police without going into many details. Chinonso, like other former detainees, said that sharing their experiences was like dragging them back into the traumatic nightmare they were struggling to forget.
The 25-year-old lady was arrested after she lost her phone in 2024. The phone was stolen from where it was being charged. She was already planning to buy a new one when policemen from Tiger Base swooped on her.
She recounted: “I remembered telling my brother that I would have to block the SIM, but I abandoned the idea. I was in the compound when the police came to arrest me. They asked me why I didn’t report to the Police that my phone was stolen.
“They said my stolen phone and SIM had to do with a murder case. I was detained for three months. My brother repeatedly tried to bail me out, but the Police told him that they wouldn’t release me until I confessed. I didn’t know what they wanted me to confess to.
“I was locked up for three months in a room without ventilation. The heat was too much and as a result, most of us in detention had rashes all over our bodies.”
Chinonso said that for the three months she was locked up, she was not allowed to write a statement. A suspect writing a statement is supposed to be a standard initial procedure after arrest.
Her mother, a distraught widow, wrote a petition to a human rights organisation, which stepped into the case.
After that, the case positively turned around for Chinonso. She would later write her statement, charged to court, and then granted bail.
However, things that she witnessed at Tiger Base Police still haunted her.
She recollected: “There were cells for men and women, but these cells are so small. We sat on a bare floor and the heat was unbearable.
“There were women I met in the cell and even though I spent three months there, I still left them there. I was lucky, I was not beaten. But a certain woman was beaten mercilessly. She was arrested because the police couldn’t find her son.
“She and other women were beaten with planks, and at some point, some of them started accepting the allegations heaped on them. My Investigating Police Officer (IPO) is Chidi Igwe.
“While I was in detention, there was a time some sex workers were arrested at hotels. Sometimes these prostitutes will be up to 40 in a cell. These ladies would start fainting because the cell is cramped.
“Many people died in those detention facilities; some people had become so weak that they couldn’t even walk. Every day Police will carry out a male corpse. These Policemen do not pity anyone, and I do not know where they take the corpses.”
Several actions and inactions of the Police personnel at Tiger Base contravene the extant law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and international laws.
According to investigations by this reporter, many victims/suspects, who went through Tiger Base Police were subjected to torture, extra-judicial killings, being held incommunicado, heavily extorted, victims of illegal arrest, and detention.
Many suspects were also said to have died of starvation and others were arrested in lieu, among other violations.
The only personae in this ongoing theatre of horror at Tiger Police are the personnel, who continued to laugh all the way to the bank.
People who pass through Tiger Base are threatened with rearrest if they dare to share their experiences with the media, and some are even made to write letters of undertaking to that effect. Others are made to speak in videos incriminating themselves.
My Nephew, Ekene Francis Elemuwa, Was Arrested Alive, Brought Out Dead – Reverend Onyekwere
Reverend Onyekwere Elemuwa is among the hundreds of Nigerians, if not thousands, seeking answers to know what happened to their loved ones when they were taken into custody by Tiger Base Police.
Onyekwere’s 34-year-old nephew, Ekenedilichukwu Francis Elemuwa, was hale and healthy when he was arrested, but he would later be brought out in a body bag.
Ekene’s family members are yet to know what has become of his corpse. Police, said his relative, refused to release it.
Indeed, Ekene, who was into Estate Management, had plans to marry his awaiting fiancée and had concluded plans to travel out of Nigeria before his untimely death.
He was said to have been arrested alongside his friend, called Ikemba.
Onyekwere said: “On 28th of August 2023, at about 8:pm, Ekene went out with his friend, Ikemba. He wanted to collect his phone, which he gave to someone to charge for him. In the process, policemen in their vehicle blocked and took both men away. Both young men shouted, asking to know their offence, but the police did not respond.
“They were taken to Tiger Base. The following day, Ekene told them to contact his people, but these police people refused. They also did not contact Ikemba’s people.”
Onyekwere is not happy that the Police have not given them answers to many questions, one of which is what or who killed Ekene and what was the charge levelled against him by the Police.
He said: “This is a boy who had never experienced police arrest or detention before. He was a good boy. He was arrested either on the 8th or 9th of August, he was there till August 30th and 2nd of September. He died on the 4th. Ekene’s brother was further told by other detainees that when Ekene suddenly slumped, other detainees started shouting that someone had slumped, it was then that the police came.
“The Police said they were taking him to hospital when he died, but his cellmates insisted that it was his corpse that the police carried out of the cell. The question now is how did we know about this issue? The police seized his phone and did not allow him to contact his family. They did not arraign him in court and the worst part is that he did not have a case file. We still do not know his offence, or why he was arrested and detained.”
Onyekwere said that they would not have known of Ekene’s arrest, detention, and death, if not for a former suspect, who contacted Ekene’s elder brother after he regained his freedom.
Meanwhile, Ekene’s family members had been frantically searching for him, calling his phone line, which was permanently switched off.
Nobody knew Ekene was arrested and then died in police custody. When the family members finally got information that Ekene was in Tiger Base Custody, they dashed there, but the police bold-facedly denied knowing anyone with that name and description.
“It was when someone mentioned Ikemba, Ekene’s friend, who is still alive and in detention there, that the police accepted that Ekene was brought there. They referred his brothers to one Inspector Moses, who for no reason started threatening them, and told them not to disturb him.
“This Inspector Moses is Ekene’s IPO. He was asked about the case file and the offence that the boy committed, but Inspector Moses did not give any answer. He did not give us a clue as to where Ekene’s corpse is.”
Onyekwere said that they had to get a lawyer involved, who petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. The IGP then instructed the Imo State Commissioner of Police, to find out what happened to Ekene.
Onyekwere recounted: “It was at that point that Inspector Moses told my brothers to meet one SP Oladimeji, who is in charge of the Tiger Base Police.
“The Oladimeji explained that truly Ekene was arrested, along with another boy. He said that Ekene became sick in detention, and they took him to the hospital, it was so serious and then he died in the hospital.
“The question I asked was, did he die inside the police cell, or did he die inside the police vehicle, or did he die in the hospital why doctors were treating him? The Police did not give me answers to these three questions.”
Police Held Rifle, Machete To My Head, Ordered Me To Write False Statement – Citizen Offor
Another shocking incident is what happened to Mr Offor with his electrician. The Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in charge of Offor’s case, identified as Promise, would later say that Offor and the electrician were arrested because they drove close to the Imo State Governor’s convoy.
The Police claimed that the Special Adviser to the Governor, suspecting that they might be kidnappers, ordered the Police to arrest them. They were arrested and marched to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit at Tiger Base.
Offor was released following the intervention of a human rights activist, but he had already been through hell and back. Family members were angry that after 72 hours of detaining Offor, he was not investigated and was not released.
Before he was granted bail, the IPO demanded N500,000 for bail, but after haggling, N40,000 was paid.
Offor recounting his ordeal in Tiger Base Police, said that his education made him know that his fundamental rights were infringed upon.
He explained that on the 14th of November 2022, he invited an electrician to come over and help him fix his residential electrical issues. The electrician demanded payment in cash because he needed it for food and transportation. Offor had no cash.
Offor said: “I had no other option than to drive out at about 10:35 pm to the nearest ATM to withdraw cash to pay him.”
Most of the ATM galleries were not dispensing, thus Offor continued his search, and it was in the process he noticed some vehicles in convoy.
Offor said: “No sooner than we got to the UBA, parked at the front of the Bank and came out of our vehicle to approach the ATM, we noticed that all the fleet of the said vehicular convoy stopped ahead of us. We noticed a considerable number of Mobile Policemen, armed with AK47 Rifles approached, rounded us up and started barking at us, asking who we were.”
Offor recalled that he and the electrician were immediately ordered to open all doors of the vehicle and booth. He introduced himself and explained his quest for an ATM gallery.
Just when Offor thought the policemen were done with them, they arrested them. When he asked the nature of their offence, Mum’s the word. He said that at a point, he thought they had fallen into the clutches of kidnappers disguised as police officers.
They soon drove to Tiger Police, opposite the Imo State Government House. He said that when they drove in, they were petrified as some armed policemen pointed guns at them and wanted to shoot.
But the two officers that accompanied Offor and the electrician screamed: “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!”
The armed policemen then broke into chants: “Shoot them! Kill them! Dagger them!”
Offor said: “My heartbeat was terrible as the whole incident had been too much for me. Inside, we saw a crowd of people, some with grievous wounds and injuries, bandages and so on, some lying down, some standing and some squatting.
“Many of the injuries on their various bodies were either bullet wounds, machete cuts or dagger piercings. There was a stench from both the passages that led into a more deadly Solitary Confinements of small compartments where human beings were kept for various categories of timelines, ranging in days, weeks, some several months with such quantum of numbers, ranging between 30 to 40 suspects per patch as such does not even qualify to be regarded as rooms.
“Many of the suspects however were suffering from not only various degrees of grievous and harmful wounds, but also from many kinds of poor hygiene diseased related ailments such as Chicken poxes and skin diseases. Many of those who had different major injuries were not taken proper care of.
“Their bodies were half rotting even though they were still breathing. Many of them complained to me that they had never been given access to their families as their phones were seized on the day of their arrest.
“Many were seriously malnourished. Some were dying daily, and corpses were being carted away to unknown places. The electrician and I were kept in solitary confinement for two nights, without access to our family members, friends, or relatives, just like what some of the detainees narrated to me.
“The cells were filled up and yet people were still being brought in at intervals and piled in like sardines, without a recourse to the number of suspects or health implications. Detainees had no food and water and were simply dying slowly but surely.”
The following day after their arrest, Offor and his electrician were called out for their statements to be recorded. His initial IPO was one Austine, who later transferred his case to IPO Promise. Offor described Promise as “cruel, and abusive, given to threatening suspects, assaulting, and inflicting injuries.”
He said that his trouble with Officer Promise began after he refused to cooperate with him to doctor his confessional statement.
Offor said that his statement was at the concluding part when Austin handed him to IPO Promise, who started interrogating him about his car.
IPO Promise then went and searched Offor’s car, irrespective of the fact the car had been searched earlier.
“IPO Promise alleged me all forms of crimes, ranging from drug addict, kidnapper, to assassin. When he could not find anything incriminating in my car, he began to point at my Registration Number, alleging that I covered it, which I refused. He went ahead to damage my transparent plate number cover which had been there for several months without harassment by any Law enforcement agents on the road,” said Offor.
He said of Officer Promise: “At various intervals right from the time I was handed over to him, he assaulted me by beating and slapping me. I begged him to allow me to conclude my statement. After that, I handed it to him and he compelled me to read to his hearing all that I had written.
“He rejected my statement, brought a new Statement paper, and ordered me to write an entirely new Statement, which he must dictate to me. I was not only shocked by this development but also faced a series of life, and physical threats from Officer Promise for objecting.
“His threats and anger continued to heighten and his colleague, who was standing behind me, corked his gun, threatening to shoot me. At one point, another officer came with a machete, threatening to cut my back if I did not comply and write whatever Officer Promise asked me to write.
“Officer Promise then dictated; thus, “That I and my gang of Kidnappers and Assassins had been trailing the convoy of the Honourable Special Assistant to the Governor on Security and Special Duties, Honourable Chinasa Nwaneri with the bede kidnapping and assassinating him…”
“When I heard the heinous charge and the names he mentioned, I was shocked! I maintained that I had already made a completed honest statement and that there was no need for either an excess or multiplicity of statements.
“He slapped me, and hit my forehead, ranting that I had condemned his Statement Sheet. He later said that he wanted to help me, but that I was rather stubborn.”
Offor said that Officer Promise then brought out their phones from his pocket and demanded passwords. Officer Promise accessed Offor’s phone and dived deep into his privacies.
It was while Offor’s phone was being browsed, and he was sitting somewhere, waiting for Officer Promise to be done, that he noticed a middle-aged woman with two children. The woman later introduced herself as Mrs Ebere. They chatted.
Ebere told him that she was at Tiger Base Police because her 20-year-old younger brother, had been in detention for over two months.
Ebere explained to Offor that she and her relatives had been frantically searching for the boy for a while before they got information that he was at Tiger Base Police.
According to her, the boy was profiled and tagged as a cultist for merely wearing a black cap. He was grabbed along the road. The Police dumped him in a cell and did not bother to alert his family members about his whereabouts.
Ebere would later turn out to be a Good Samaritan for Offor. She collected Offor’s brother’s phone number and alerted him of Offor’s current location.
Meanwhile, Offor’s family was sickened by his sudden disappearance, especially because his phone was unreachable.
Offor stated: “We spent a total of three days in their ‘Custody of Death’ without food or water. My sister brought food on the second and last day; I couldn’t eat it, so I gave it to the electrician and other detainees. I had no appetite. I could not stand the stench of the environment. After my release, I was shocked to find out policemen were using my vehicle for their chase and arrest operations.”
Female Detainee Loses Pregnancy After Police Stomped On Baby Bump, Says Blessing
A former detainee at Force Headquarters, FCT, Abuja, who wishes to be simply identified as Mrs Blessing, said that she was arrested under a Trump-up charge of her and her husband being members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB).
IPOB, a separatist group in the southeast region of Nigeria aims to restore the Republic of Biara, also known as Igbo Nation. A Federal Court in Abuja in 2017, declared IPOB a terrorist organisation leading to law enforcement agencies carrying out arbitrary arrests, illegal detentions, trump-up charges and now generally cashing out with the proscription.
Blessing was one of those arrested over alleged membership with IPOB. She was moved to Abuja, where she met other women in detention, who were also charged with being IPOB members or lovers of IPOB members.
The women soon started swapping stories of their arrest and sojourn in detention facilities.
Blessing recounted: “I didn’t pass through Tiger Base Police, but I was detained in Abuja with other women who passed through there. All these women were arrested under the guise that they were Biafra women or because of their husbands’ alleged Biafra activities.
“When they started sharing their experiences of Tiger Base Police, I was horrified. Tiger Base is a Horror Base! One of our cellmates is called Melody. She was arrested and tagged as the girlfriend of an IPOB member. She was arrested with her father, who was in his 60’s.
“Melody’s father was shot to death inside Tiger Base, while Melody lost her four-month pregnancy after the police stomped on her stomach during torture. She started bleeding and her pregnancy was aborted. Another case is about one Pastor Chinedu, who was arrested at Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He was arrested in lieu: the Police were looking for his nephew and when they could not get him, they grabbed Pastor Chinedu.
“Pastor Chinedu started conducting morning devotion and prayer sessions with the detainees. He became well known. One night, the Police came to call him, and immediately other detainees started weeping because they knew they would never see him again and that was what happened. We heard his children have dropped out of school.”
Note: Some detainees who spoke with the reporter requested their real names should not be used to avoid being rearrested or targeted by Tiger Base Police Personnel.
This Report Was Supported By the Rule Of Law And Accountability Advocacy Centre As Part Of Its Interventions In Southeast Insecurity and Its Impact On Human Rights, Civic Space And Development.
The Police Service Commission today, Monday, March 17th, 2025, approved the promotion of 66 senior Police Officers.
The Commission approved the promotion of 20 Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors General of Police. It also considered and approved the promotion of 19 Deputy Commissioners to the substantive rank of Commissioners of Police.
Thirteen Superintendents of Police and 14 Deputy Superintendents were also elevated to the next ranks.
The new Assistant Inspectors General of Police are; Fasuba Akinyele Olabode, CP Special Fraud Unit, Force Headquarters; Musibau Omolabi Ajani, CP Admin, FCID; Aliyu Abubakar Musa, CP Katsina State Command; Patrick Adedeji Atayero, former CP Explosive Ordinance Disposal EOD; Force Headquarters, CP Anti Fraud section FCID, Director of Sports Nigeria Police Force and Deputy Commissioner Finance and Administration Force Headquarters; Gyogon Augustine Grimah, CP Cross Rivers State Command and Olaiya Victor Mobolaji, CP Kwara State Command. Others are Chukwudi Chris Ariekpere, CP Taraba State Command and Commandant Police College Oji River; Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, CP Fom, Force Headquarters; Olalolu Adebowale Adegbite, CP Interpol FCID; Godwin Iguh Eze, CP SEB, FCID Annex Lagos; and Disu Olatunji Rilwan, CP Federal Capital Territory.
The Commission also promoted to the rank of AIG, Alausa Hakeem Tolani, CP Admin PAB, Force Headquarters; Kareem Musa; CP Interpol Annex, Lagos; Mohammed Shehu Dalijan; CP Zamfara state Command; Dan-Mamman Shawulu; CP Niger State Command; Clement Robert; CP SERVICOM R&PForce Headquarters; Musa Auwal Mohammed; CP Bauchi State Command; Thomas Abraham Nabhoni; Office of the National Security Adviser; CP Abel Jangnap Miri Zwalchir ICT. Force Headquarters and CP Ifeanyi Uka, Cp Works, Force Headquarters, former Head of Projects and Equipment at the Nigeria Police Trust Fund; AGM Project and later Ag. MD/CEO of the Nigeria Police Force Property Development and Construction Company limited.
The Nineteen Deputy Commissioners of Police promoted to the next rank of Commissioners of Police are; Usman Tahir, DCP R&P Force Headquarters, Sunday J.A. Okoebor; DCP Admin and Finance Force Headquarters; Ayodeji Faniyan; DCP Zonal CID, Zone 5, Benin; Saka Adewale Ajao; DCP Zonal CID, Zone 2, Lagos; Omole Ola, DCP PSFU, Lagos and Hope Urunwa Okafor, Deputy Force Provost, Force Headquarters, former Deputy Commissioner Administration, Osun State, Area Commander, K, Morogbo, Badagri and ACP Admin, Plateau State Command.
Others are; Ajo Geofrey Ordue; DCP DFA, Zone 17 Akure; Olufunke Adeayo; DC Pensions Force Headquarters; Ogunbode; Stephen Olubunmi Ogedengbe; DCP X squad, FCID Force Headquarters; Iyabode Oluwatoyin Agbaminoja; DCP SCID, Oyo State Command; Adebowale Lawal; DCP State CID, Enugu State Command; Ojo Adekimi DCP Operations Kwara state Command, and Yemi John Oyeniyi, DCP DFA, Ondo state Command.
The Commission also approved the promotion of Obasi Mary Okereke; DCP Disaster Management Ops Force Headquarters; Moses Ashu Ottah; DCP Ops Eastern Ports, Port Harcourt; Felix Akoneme Nnebue; DCP ZCID Zone 16 Yenagoa; Gazali Alade Abdul-Salaam; DCP CID, Railway Command Lagos; Fidelis Ndubuisi Ogarabe; DCP Administration, Anambra state Command; DCP, State CID, Enugu, DCP General Investigation, FCID and former Chief Security officer to two Governors of Enugu State; and Olubode Ojajuni; DCP State CID, Ogun state Command; Principal Officer 3 to former IGP Ibrahim Idris, Former Area Commander Area A, Lion Building lagos and former Lagos State Command PRO.
The Commission also approved the promotion of 13 Superintendents of Police to the next rank of Chief Superintendents and 14 Deputy Superintendents to Superintendents of Police.
According to Ikechukwu Ani, the Commission’s spokesman, all the Officers appeared before the Commission on Plenary and were subjected to examination and interactive interview. Commission Chairman, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd mni, presided over the exercise and was supported by DIG Taiwo Lakanu rtd, fdc, Honourable Commissioner representing the Police in the Commission and Chief Onyemuche Nnamani, Secretary to the Commission.
A retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, DIG, Barrister Marvel E. Akpoyibo, was last month, inducted into the Body of Benchers.(BoB) of Nigeria. The event which took place at the nation’s Capital, Abuja, was witnessed by colleagues, friends and family members. It will be recalled that when Akpoyibo held forth as the commissioner of police in Lagos(2008 — 2010), the crime situation in the state was reduced to the barest minimum. He was adjudged by Lagosians as the best CP the state ever had since its creation in 1967.
Married with children, grand-children, Akpoyibo who hails from Sapele in Delta state of Nigeria retired in 2014 . The Body of Benchers of Nigeria is a Statutory body, established by the Legal Act of 1962, responsible for the formal call to the Bar, discipling erring lawyers and enforcing disciplne within the legal profession.
The French government has commended the operational successes of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, especially in areas of illicit drug control and high rate of prosecution and conviction of offenders. The commendation was given by the French Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Marc Fonbaustier while handing over some operational equipment donated by the French government to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) at the Agency’s National Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday 13th March 2025.
He noted that the Agency had done very well in the fight against illicit drugs and narcotics with over 57, 792 arrests; 9.9 million kilograms of seizures and 10,572 convictions within a space of four years. He added that Nigeria’s records of achievements in the fight against illicit drugs places the country in a good position for great partnership and collaboration with France. “You’re one of the best in the world in terms of fight against illicit drugs and narcotics because of your operational successes, which give NDLEA an edge in terms of arrests, seizures, high rate of convictions and as such we can learn some lessons from you while you learn from us as well”, Ambassador Fonbaustier stated.
In his remark, Marwa expressed appreciation for the donation of the equipment to NDLEA, noting that “Nigeria and France have been good partners especially following the recent state visit by President Bola Tinubu to France.” He stated that “the equipment are very important operational tools that will go a long way to enhance our work.” He emphasized earlier requests for special training on investigation and cyber transactions as well as support for the Alternative Development Project initiative of the Agency aimed at encouraging cannabis growers to embrace alternative crops.
Just as the last car in the Governor convey turned right onto the East/West road, and the siren roared to clear traffic from Road ahead, so also the air of expectation, doubts, and wishes came to an end. Days ago, news had covered every household in Ogoni land, that Mr. President had accented to the take off of what will be known as Federal University of Environment Technology, Ogoni land. What was not certain is when and how that will materialise, as the information came with an early morning sickness of double location, Sakpenwa and Koroma. How come a new University came with two campuses, when older University with only one campus can barely breath in Nigeria. Predictably, Ogoni’s went to town with permutations, and suspicion that maybe Government had come again, with what late Music Maestro Fela called “instruments of Magic”Some openly accused the Senator who sponsored the Bill of bias, as Ogoni leaders in the past, like late Chief Albert Badey, who brought the Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, selflessly located in Bori, not in Bado his home town. The Bill earlier sent by a former Senator, Magnus Abe, did not also propose his home town Bera as location for the university.
But with one visit, one inspection, one decision, Governor Sim Fubara showed wisdom, by handing over the facility, built by the Amaechi administration, at Kira-Tai, known as the “New Model Secondary School. For administration convenience, Government documents had labeled it as Sakpenwa, like the Refinery, and the Airport, whose place of location was swallowed by the Port Harcourt convenient town name. Kira is a confluence town in Ogoni, and serves as an important historical junction leading to Bori on one flank, to Gokana via another artery, to Okirika, to Akwa Ibom, to Port Harcourt, and to Tai communities. Even the entrance into the new University is designed to veer conveniently form the old Kira road side. In the colonial era, the first Court house in Ogoni was at a location called Maawoo, before it was rebuilt at the place mapped out an a land given by Kira and Boten communities and called Sakpenwa, by the colonial masters. On April 20th 1968, late Ken Saro-Wiwa wrote in the book. The Ogoni Nationality, Today and Tomorrow, that on the ruins of the old. A greater story be told “adding” we can no longer be excluded from the Blessings which modern education showers on most of our contry man……….. to this end the secondary schools at present in the Divisions must be converted to comprehensive schools”.
As if by divine promptings and in agreement with the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, led by Prof Dan Baridum, the Rivers State Governor accompanied by members of the Committee drove to Kira-Tai, and handed-over all that facilitor, as the Take off Campus for the new University of Environment Technology, Ogoni land. This gesture would mean that the Matriculation Day for the new University would be Faster, quicker and sooner than Ogonis imagine. In the words of a former Governor of Rivers State, Dr, Peter Odili, “those who make history, never realize that they are making history. An Educational facility, via the University of Environment, may had added to softening the ground for the successes recorded in the oil resumption consultations by the Dialogue Committee. As usual, the stake holders meeting in the communities and Local Government Areas, though largely successful, had some minor hiccups, as some Ogoni leader still displayed entitlement mentality. Some felt left out in the composition of the committee, and decided to sponsor contrary narratives about the dialogue. For instance, at the main congress in Bori, after event picture, and video clips were cropped, copied and posted an their walls, purporting that the event was marred by violence.
Also, some notable politicians from Ogoni loyal to a particular bloc tried to subvert the process by shunning the stake holder meetings in their Local Government Areas, Noticeably, in Gokona, these politicians stayed away from the Local Government Council headquarter venue of the meeting, an the idea that “it would amount to supporting the Chairman”. Some of this persons, had also shunned the first meeting between Governor Sim Fubara and the committee barely 24 hours after their inauguration I Abuja by President Tinubu. But Arch-Bishop Ignatius Kattey, the alternate Chairman of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, repeats at every venue, that the committee work is strictly for an all inclusive dialogue and consultation with every Ogoni citizen. “This is not a political exercise” Bishop Kattey said. Barrister Tom Orage, the secretary of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee would re-echo that persons who are not present physically to publicly submit via the email: ogonidialoguecommittee@gmail.com. THE LEDUM MITEE EXAMPLEIn a demonstration of the committee’s openness and Trust, former, Mosop President, Ledum Mittee pointed the way forward at the Bori Congress Meeting. While he was addressing the crowd, some sponsored persons emerged with placards bearing “Mitee and Ribadu leave Ogoni Oil alone” etc. But rather than stop his speech, or get angry, Ledum continued his speech without stopping, a pointer that the committee will not allow any distraction to affect the process.
This approach may had guided the Committee to adopt their all inclusive stance at all meeting venues, as everyone was given access to the Microphone, every document received, and every group contented. As the Committee rounds up their consultations, one prayer in the heart of Ogonis will be that Mr. President shows further sincerity by honoring the demands and concerns of Ogoni people as collated and presented by the Ogoni Dialogue Committee for a smooth resumption of oil activities.*Blessing Wikina a journalist and public communicator, retired as Director from the Rivers State Civil Service*
were being called because of documentation issues, but they will never return! The cells are tight. Mere touching of detainees there, you will contract infection. I contracted an infection there. This is 2025 and I am still treating myself for the infection I got there.”
