Anambra CP Shuns Victims Police Brutality Protesters As AIG Wades In
CP Nnaghe Itam, Commissioner of Police in Anambra on Tuesday ignored members of Maureen Madu Kiddies Football Academy who thronged his office to protest alleged brutality against officers attached to Anti Cult Unit, Ukpo under his Command.
Nnaghe who zoomed through the players, their parents and Madu numbering about 100 did stopp to find out their grievance in spite the fact that they gathered at the gate boring placards with varying inscriptions.
Speaking to journalists at the Command Headquarters, Awka said herself and her players were attacked, humiliated and bundled in handcuffs by personnel attached to Anti Cult Unit, Ukpo without investigation.
Madu is the proprietor of Maureen Kiddies Football Academy for boys and girls registered in 2021 and has featured in state and national championships since inception.
She said one Uchenna handed over his daughter over to her in Awka on June 16 for summer football coaching in her academy during the long holiday.
“A man registered his daughter for summer football coaching and abandoned his daughter for four months only to petition the Police alleging armed gangsterism, cultism. attempt murder child trafficking and threat to life against me
“The Police personnel neither investigated the allegations nor came with any warrant forced themselves into the camp, traumatised the players, seized their phones and took her away in handcuffs
She said they lost over a total of N3.5 million in damage of property, medical bills and other costs as a result of the incident.
“The Police acting on a petition invaded my academy while we were resting after our morning training and started beating everybody, smashed our phones and took me away in handcuffs without asking questions.
“They destroyed our phones worth over N800,000, I have spent N2.7 million in medical bills and other expenses on this matter.
“We want justice, we want them to replace our phones, pay us our expenses uncured and damages for character assassination for handcuffing us like common criminals.
“I want to thank the AIG for taking interest in this matter because it is insulting that the man who petitioned boasted that he has the AIG in his pocket, we believe that justice will be done,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 13 Ukpo in Anambra, Mr Godwin Aghaulor has ordered an exhaustive investigation into the matter.
Aghaulor gave the order when the proprietor of the academy, Maureen Madu, an ex Super Falcons Striker, her players and parents of the humiliated players protested at the Zonal Headquarters, Ukpo on Tuesday.
The AIG directed the investigation officer to ensure that allegations of unprofessional conduct and brutality against officers were thoroughly in
vestigated and justice delivered.