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Group petitions IGP, Wants Power-Drunk Anambra DPO Sanctioned
A civil rights group the International Human Rights and Equity Defense Foundation (I-REF) has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, alleging brutalisation of a female lawyer by a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Anambra State.
In a letter dated 29th January, 2018, signed by I-REF Executive Director, Justus Uche Ijeoma, and Legal Officer, Akachukwu C.J Azubike, the group demanded immediate action on the unsavory complaint of Barr. Chiamaka Nwangwu who was said to have been brutalised, tortured, intimidated and detained by the DPO of 3-3 Police Station, CSP Jane Mbanefo and her men for carrying out her legitimate duties as a legal practitioner.
“Disturbing as the referenced personal account is,” the petition read, “it is important to inform you that I-REF is aware that not less than four other lawyers have received similar callous treatment from the same DPO and her men in the last few months. The media, especially the online/social media, has been awash with the news of another lawyer, Barr. Cosmas Anyabolu, who suffered even a more harrowing brutality in the hands of Mbanefo and her men at the same Police Station.”
The group also informed the IGP that “one lawyer who recently escaped the ‘Jane-Mbanefo treatment’, while narrating his encounter with the DPO to us quoted her to have threatened him saying: ‘I have beaten up and detained several lawyers before and heaven did not fall; if you don’t get out of this station I will deal with you the way I dealt with others and nothing will happen.’
“By the provision of Section 35(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, any person arrested or detained by the police for committing any crime has the right to remain silent or avoid answering any question until he has consulted with any legal practitioner of his choice. The provision is one of the safeguards provided in the Constitution to ensure that the fundamental rights of citizens are not trampled on in the course processing those accused of committing crime(s) by the Police.
“In I-REF, we strongly believe that lawyers should be the primus inter paris, or at least hold a strategic place in defending human rights of the people. Article 1 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders provides that ‘everyone has right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels’.
“To respect the fundamental rights of the people, the rights of those working to protect the rights of the people must first be held sacrosanct by all duty bearers, including the police. Anything short of this runs contrary to the letters and spirit of the Constitution, our grund norm, and other international instruments guaranteeing the rights and liberties of the people.
“Any attempt at brazenly harassing and intimidating lawyers out of the Police Station discloses a clear intention to trample on the rights of the people. We have observed, in the course of our work over the years, that it is only corrupt officers that get agitated on sighting a lawyer in a matter.
“Furthermore, Sir, though I-REF considers it very reprehensible that a lawyer would be treated contemptuously, the outrage expressed herein is not only that Barr. Chiamaka was grievously violated. We are most worried because if the DPO could muster the temerity to manhandle lawyers with impunity the way CSP Jane Mbanefo and her men always do, only God knows what the hapless and helpless citizens will be going through in their hands. We weep not only for lawyers, for if they do these things to green trees, what then shall be done to dry ones.”
The group, therefore, called on the IGP to direct that a thorough investigation be carried out into the alleged violent conduct of CSP Jane Mbanefo and her men at 3-3 Police Station in Anambra State.
It recommended that the investigation should be carried out by a competent, unbiased and professional team of Police officers.
“As a first step in this direction, the DPO and her co-travelers in this ill-fated journey of impunity should all be removed from 3-3 Police Station to forestall any form of interference while the investigation lasts.
“At the conclusion of the investigation, all persons found culpable must be made to face adequate sanctions. It is our considered view that the appropriate sanction in the circumstance of this image-sullying matter should be dismissal and subsequent prosecution. This, we believe, will serve as deterrent to other offices in the future and help to rein in those already on the fringe.”
The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.
The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.
The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.
Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.
“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.
“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”
He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.
“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.
“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.
In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.
“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.
“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.
“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.
“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
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