By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Anambra State Police Command has warned that any officer found culpable in the course of performing official duties including stop and search routine will be spared.

The warning came on the heels of a video circulating on social media, where a woman alleged that some police operatives stationed at the upper Iweka area of Onitsha arrested her husband who went to a relief market to buy Malt, handcuffed and detained him.

According to the woman whose name is yet to be ascertained, "My husband went to the relief market in a white bus to buy malt and on his way back, police officers at the upper Iweka area stopped him and asked for the vehicle documents which he gave to them.

"After going through the documents, they faulted the colour of the bus that has been driven for 20 years. They said the colour in the Customs paper showed another colour. They told him to go and meet the oga in a car, as he made a move to do that, two other officers blocked him, cuffed him and started beating him, calling him a thief.

"They put him in their car and told him to give them N500,000. They finally came down to N200,000 and took my husband to a POS stand after driving him round and about to withdraw N200,000, took all the money on him before letting him go."

But the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement made available to journalists in Awka said that appropriate disciplinary measures would be taken against any officer found to have acted unprofessionally, in accordance with established procedures.

He stated that the Anambra State Police Command remains committed to professionalism, accountability, and the protection of the rights of all citizens.

According to Ikenga, the command had taken note of a viral complaint video alleging the unprofessional conduct of some police officers in Onitsha.

Ikenga said: "The command wishes to inform the public that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Okpoko had already intercepted the complaint and immediately initiated steps to identify the officers involved in the alleged act.

"The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has directed the DPO to produce the officers concerned for the necessary investigation and possible disciplinary action, in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Police Force.

"Preliminary findings to aid the ongoing investigation revealed that the DPO had earlier detailed officers to identify the personnel allegedly involved in the incident.

"The money allegedly collected from the victim has been returned, which indicates serious misconduct and unprofessional behaviour on the part of the officers involved."

He however observed that the involvement of a POS operator suggests a possible conspiracy in the incident.

The Command further reiterated that it will not shield any officer found culpable, saying that appropriate disciplinary measures will be taken in accordance with established procedures.

The Police spokesperson added that the Anambra State Police Command remains committed to professionalism, accountability, and the protection of the rights of all citizens.

Update news