Panel orders ex-SARS officers to show cause for disobeying orders

Panel orders police to show cause for disobeying orders.

An independent investigation panel has ordered the police to show cause why they have failed to obey its orders in a petition filed by Mrs Nnena Alozie, on an alleged arbitrary arrest and detention of her husband.

The respondents in the matter are ASP M.Obiozor of the defunct SARS Awkuzu, Anambra; Uzi Emeana; Sunday Okpe, Anambra Commissioner of Police and the Inspector-General of Police.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) pane, is investigating alleged human rights buses by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other police units.

The panel gave the directive as it resumed sitting after it adjourned indefinitely on Dec. 23, 2021, when the NHRC paid a compensation of N146 million to 27 police brutality victims.

Mr Garba Tetengi, SAN, who represented the chairman , retired Justice Suleiman Galadima, directed the police to show cause why the panel should not grant the petitioner’s prayers.

The panel had on Dec. 2, 2021, ordered the police to produce the petitioner’s husband as well as produce the two vehicles, a Lexus and a Ford, the briefcase and documents taken away from the residence of the petitioner on June 15, 2017 when Alozie was arrested.

The panel further ordered that the police must produce before it all the officers mentioned by the petitioner in her petition.

He adjourned until March 7.

Earlier, counsel for the respondents, Mr Kenneth Ogbochua, told the panel that the respondents were absent and asked for an adjournment.

Counsel for the panel, Chino Obiagwu, SAN, however, informed the panel that at the last sitting, the chairman of the panel issued some orders which the police were yet to comply with.

Alozie had in her petition before the panel, marked marked 2020/IIP/-SARS/ABJ/73, alleged arbitrary arrest and detention of her husband, John, by SARS operatives.

On Dec. 2, 2021, she alleged that six SARS operatives stormed their residence in Lekki, Lagos, on June 15, 2017 and whisked her husband away.

She informed that she later got to know that her husband was arrested for his involvement in an alleged kidnapping in the course of searching everywhere for her husband and the reason for his arrest.

“Since the day they arrested my husband, I have not seen him and I don’t know his whereabouts.”

”After the SARS operatives arrested my husband, they ransacked our bedroom and went away with some of our personal belongings which include certificates and other documents, money, a Lexus and a Ford, parked in our house,” she said.