Police officers allegedly beat mechanic to death after falsely accusing him of robber

[Edoman]

Police officers allegedly beat mechanic to death after falsely accusing him of robbery in Rivers (photos)






Nigerian journalist, Comrade Phil, has accused men of the Nigeria Police force, Rivers state command, of beating his mechanic, Chima Ikwunado, to death after falsely accusing him of robbery.
 
According to Comrade Phil, he gave his car o Chima to repair and after the repairs, Chima and some of his other mechanics took his car and that of another customer for testing. However, they decided to drive against traffic and they were caught. 

He alleged that Chima and the other mechanics were taken to the police station where they were beaten and accused of robbery. He alleged that Chima who just got married six months ago and has a pregant wife, died while the police officers were torturing him. 

Read the sad story below

#JusticeForChima: Police Kill Innocent Mechanic, Falsely Accuse and Torture Colleagues In Port Harcourt
This story will leave you in tears... I had to call the victim's brother to be sure this was real. He cried as he narrated how his brother was tortured to death at the Mile one police station.

I cried listening to him. But I will not only cry, I will push for justice for this poor soul and his family.
Full story as narrated by the man that gave the mechanic his car to repair before the police killed him.
EAGLE-CRACK(a.k.a E-CRACK) POLICE MILE 1 PHC RIVERS STATE KILLS INNOCENT MECHANIC AND SENDS 4 INNOCENT PERSONS TO PRISON
 
I gave my car to my usual mechanic to fix AC Gas on the 19th of Dec 2019. Called him several times on the 20th and did not get an answer.

I decided to visit his shop physically at Ikoku to find out that my car and the mechanic are nowhere to be found. I asked fellow mechanics around and one said he saw when the mechanic was driving one way and he suspects that he might have been apprehended by the Police. My mind came down a bit after hearing this.


I started visiting Police Stations in Port-Harcourt one after the other making enquiries until I got to Mile 1 Police Station and I saw my car parked in front of the Eagle Crack Police Division(a.k.a E-Crack). I felt relief thinking that the Police is my friend, I was totally wrong.

I presented myself quickly at the front desk to say that the car belongs to me and I want to know the reason it got to this place. I was shocked to be pointed a gun by one of the officers and I was asked to leave before I get shot. Wow.... I wondered what crime I could have committed to present myself as the owner of my car. But I had to leave before I get shot.

I got to my house and was drafting a strategy to attack this issue. It was exactly 2hours later when I noticed a knock on my gate. I opened my gate to see a young man who introduced himself as “Obinna the brother to Chima”. Chima is the name of my mechanic. He asked me my name which I told him and that he was directed by his brother to meet me. So I asked him quickly if he knew the reason for the arrest. He said Chima told him that he and his boys were testing two cars, 3 boys in a camry and 2 boys in my car, after doing some work on them. The traffic in Port-Harcourt around that time was terrible and they decided to drive one way.


The police apprehend them and asked them for money. They offered an amount which was not comfortable for the Police officers. The eyes of the Police officers were completely red looking for money to solve their Christmas matters as this usually happens during the Christmas festive period in Nigeria. The police officers immediately changed the case to robbery, accusing the boys of robbing the two cars.

The officers asked the boys to raise their hands and searched their pockets. They found money in each of the pockets of the boys. According to Obinna, N97,000.00(ninety seven thousand naira) was found on Chima, N50,000.00 (Fifty thousand naira) on one of them, N16,000.00(Sixteen thousand) on another etc, totally over N150,000.00(one hundred and fifty thousand naira) in their pockets. In the minds of the Police officers; (we can not afford to loose this money we have seen physically in their pockets. Our Christmas is guaranteed a success if we can obtain all the money). Which indeed they achieved.
Hand cuffed all of them, took their money and their telephones and arraigned them to the Police Station. Getting to the station, hung this boys upside down in fan hooks and started brutality on them with various weapons. The youngest of them which is only 19yrs was almost at the point of death and accepted to confess whatever they ask him to say. He started making false confession about my car, he agreed that my car was rubbed and that, the car belongs to a lady and that, they jumped into the ladies compound, broke the glass of the car, opened the door and used a master key to start the car. Broke the gate and drove off.
This was the information I got from Mr. Obinna. At least I know the reason why my car is there. So I made contact with the Nigerian Air force Base who sent 2 soldiers to accompany me in my next visit. The two soldiers arrived my residence and accompanied me.
On arrival at the Mile 1 E-Crack Division, the IPO in charge of the case was very rude to the air force soldiers, insulting them saying that this is purely a civilian case and a case of robbery. The soldiers got angry and asked me if they can start beating up the police officers, I calmly told them not to do so as it will make matters worse for the innocent boys in police custody. So I left with the officers. I then called the Air force Commander and updated him on current status, he asked me if I had copies of my car papers, I told him I would get them and revert him accordingly.
I searched in my house for the car papers and did not find. But I remembered that my Driver was the one who renewed the papers not up to 2months back. So I asked my driver for the papers and he informed me that he forgot the original and photocopies inside my car. I asked him to call the man at Inland Revenue to print copies. I got the copies and contacted the Air force Commander again to let him know that I have the papers.
The Commander joined me to the Police Station on 23rd of Dec 2019. We met the Commander of E-Crack, I noticed the name on his uniform as Benson. The Air force Commander introduced himself and introduced me as his brother. Mr. Benson called the IPO of the case to come and narrate the story. The IPO explained how the boys jumped into a ladies compound, broke the glass of the car, used master key to start the car, broke the gate and drove off. That they, the police officers apprehended the boys at the point of sale. That the boys were communicating with the buyer from Aba and that one of the boys have already confessed to the crime.

After hearing this, at first I was wondering if it was some Nigerian movie the man was narrating or was he talking about my car? The E-Crack Commander now asked the IPO to bring the boy who made the confession.

The boy was brought in after 2mins limping seriously with smelling wounds. The E-Crack Commander now asked the boy to tell the truth that no one would torture him. The boy now started talking by saying that he is only an apprenticed under his Boss “Chima”, that the car belongs to Chima's customer, that he made the false confession because he was tortured almost to the point of death, at this point, he stretched his arms with handcuffs towards the commander showing him the smelling wounds.


The E-Crack Commander now asked the IPO to return the boy. I now told the E-Crack Commander that I have copies of my car papers here which I got from the Inland Revenue today as my driver forgot the original papers as well as the photocopies in my car, is it possible for the IPO to check my car, get all the papers in it and we compare with what is in my hands. The E-Crack commander agreed and sent the IPO to get the papers.


After 3mins, the IPO came back and said there were no papers in the car. Well, I have copies right in front of us, I asked the commander if the copies I am presenting can be verified, and he concurred. I left the station with the Air force Commander.

On the 30th of December 2019. I returned to the police station and met the commander to verify if my presented documents have been verified. He called the IPO and the IPO confirmed that the documents are authentic.

The commander now asked me my full name and I told him. He says that the name on the papers bears the same surname but different first name, why is this so? I explained that, the first name and second name on the car papers belong to my younger sister. He insisted that I must bring her to the station. So I called my sister and picked her up at her office and brought her to the station. I presented her to the commander.


The commander asked how long she has been using the car and she confirmed that it is over 2yrs. He asked the IPO to release my car as well as the second car which was an old model camry. Before leaving his office, I asked about the boys because I still have an unfinished business with my mechanic.

He asked me how long I have known the mechanic, I told him that I have known the mechanic for more than 4years and that the mechanic fixes all my cars. The Commander now told me that he is investigating a case of cultism against all the boys.

I wondered in my mind how a case of charged “Robbery” could change to cultism. I had no choice other than to leave the station with my car. On the 2nd of January 2020, I got a call from a Barrister saying that he was engaged by the families of the boys in custody. That he has spoken with the Commander with regards to the case.

That he was shocked to know that the commander was now working as a commander in that division as he has long known him. That in fact the man is his friend. He continued by saying that the commander told him that the case is a bad one, his boys have over worked. Speaking in pigeon saying "de case don spoil, my boys don over work" The Barrister did not understand. The Barrister kept on insisting until the man opened up to say that my mechanic "Chima" is dead. He was tortured to death.


The Barrister now asked him where the corpse is. The Commander says that he does not trust him enough to reveal that kind of classified information. That the best thing he can do for the remaining 4boys, is to look for a small charge to charge them, so that as soon as they get to the court, bail will be granted easily. He asked the Barrister to come the next day.

According to the Barrister, as soon as he left the police station, the Commander immediately charged the boys to court that same day on the charge of my car robbery and cultism. After hearing this from the Barr., I again thought, the police has released my car to me after verifying that it is my car and I never told them that my car was ever robbed, why did they still charge the boys for my car robbery? I later found out the answer which I will say shortly after.

As I write this story, the remaining 4boys are in prison custody with wounds getting rotten and smelling. Chima that the police killed is tagged as "At Large". The answer to my question came out when the families of the deceased visited the court to see a copy of the charge sheet confirming that the police wrote on it that the owner of the car, which is supposed to me, confirmed to them that his car was stolen as described. I have never made such a statement anywhere. My car was never robbed.


The families of the boys visited the prison in Port-Harcourt to see their loved ones and insisted to take photographs after seeing the wounds of some of them excreting water and decayed substances. The prison warders said each photograph will cost them N15,000.00 (Fifteen Thousand Naira) each. The families not being able to afford the money, left the prison sobering.

At this moment of my life, I and my family members are very scared of the police. I wanted to send my brother out with my car, immediately I realized that his drivers license is in process. I got scared and did not engage him anymore, because if police can take a life because of “one way driving”, then it means they can take a life for not having Drivers License and many more.


As I write this message, my wife is beside me shivering and saying that I should make the message anonymous, for fear that I could get killed by the police for making it public.
Please if I get any mosquito bite, you know who is responsible.

I came to know that the deceased mechanic got married just six months ago and that his wife is a few months pregnant.

Again, the families of the 5 boys are in abject poverty and could not even afford lawyer fees to follow up the case. What a shame.


BELOW NAMES OF PERSONS INVOLVED:
Victor Ogbonna
Osaze Friday
Ifeanyi Osuji
Ifeanyi Onyekwere
Chima Ikwunado (Killed By Police)
SP. Benson Adetuyi (Commander E-Crack)
Mile1 Police Station, PortHarcourt, Rivers State Nigeria.
Inspector Sam (IPO)
Mile1 Police Station, PortHarcourt, Rivers State Nigeria.
 

Chima Ikwunado (RIP)
See photos of the deceased,Chima Ikwunado, his boy and his wife.
Share this and tag the Nigerian police until we get justice for Chima.

[Edoman]

Ikokwu4: The four men arrested and tortured by police over alleged car theft in River State, released after DPP said they couldn’t establish any criminal case against them (photos)






The four men now known as #Ikokwu4, arrested by police in Port Harcourt over alleged car theft, were released on Wednesday after the Rivers State Department of Public Prosecution(DPP) said they couldn’t prove any criminal case against them.
 
Recall that the four persons, Victor Ogbonna, Osaze Friday, Ifeanyi Osuji, Ifeanyi Onyekwere and late Chima Ikwunado, were arrested on December 19, 2019. They were allegedly tortured in detention to admit that they stole one of the cars they were repairing.
 

 
However, the owners of the cars, Eradiri Erepamo and Chinedu Ezenwaliri later said that their vehicles were not stolen but given to the arrested men for repair. While Chima died in detention, police arraigned the four men on spurious charges of robbery.
 
The report of the Rivers State Department of Public Prosecution, DPP, on the #Ikokwu4, was released on Wednesday.
 

 
In the report, the DPP ordered the prison authorities to immediately release the four detained men because no criminal case has been established against them.
 
The State Judiciary Complex premises were filled by members of the Civil Societies Organizations, members of the public, journalists, members of the Ohaneze Indigbo waiting for the release of the four detained men. The popular Ikokwu motor spareparts market was shutdown in solidarity and protest for the release of the men.
 
There was public outcry over the alleged torturing to death of Chima Ikwunado and detention of his colleagues by officers of the E-Crack unit of the Rivers State Police Command.
 



 

[Edoman]

''We were continuously beaten with hammers, planks, knieves'' - One of 'Ikokwu 4’ narrates ordeal in police cell, says Chima was tortured to death







The four men arrested and detained in the cell of the Eagle Crack, (E-Crack) Squad of the Rivers State Police have been narrating their ordeal following their release from detention.
 
Recall that Victor Ogbonna, Osaze Friday, Ifeanyi Osuji, Ifeanyi Onyekwere and late Chima Ikwunado, were arrested on December 19, 2019. They were allegedly tortured in detention to admit that they stole one of the cars they were repairing. However, the owners of the cars, Eradiri Erepamo and Chinedu Ezenwaliri later said that their vehicles were not stolen but given to the arrested men for repair.
 
While Chima died in detention, police allegedly continued to torture the men to force them to confess to theft of the cars and later arraigned them on spurious charges of robbery.
 

 
The men known as 'Ikokwu 4' regained their freedom on Wednesday after the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, made “a no case submission” at the magistrate court. Read details  here
 
Speaking during a phone-in programme on Nigeriainfo FM radio, Port Harcourt on Thursday, one of the men Victor Ogbonna, said that one of the leaders of the police ‘torture team’ is a woman.
 
Ogbonna, in the live interactive programme, claimed that the female police officer was always hitting the private part of the late Chima, threatening to cut off his Penis if he refused to confess that the vehicle they were arrested in was stolen. According to Ogbonna, the female police officer threatened the late Chima Ikwunado saying:
“If you refuse to confess that you are an armed robber and a cultist, I will cut off your penis so that you would not be able to impregnate any woman again (touching his Penis).
 
Ogbonna further alleged that before the late Ikwunado died, he was bleeding through his nose and ears from the severe beatings he received from the police officers.
“When Chima died, the Policemen asked us to carry out his dead body, which they covered and hid from the public. We don’t know where his corpse was dumped.”
 

 
Describing further how they were allegedly tortured, he said: “We were handcuffed and hanged face down on an iron poles behind the E-Crack Cell. There were times they hanged us and left for the day’s patrol until they came back. We were 95 persons in a cell. Due to the severe beatings, we even told them to take all the monies the seized from us. But they refused. I can’t even use my two hands now.”
 
He also lamented that there are still some people still detained at the E-Crack Cell who are pleading guilty to crimes they are not guilty of.
 
Victor said among the detainees still in the E-Crack cell was a man who was dressed up to travel to his village for Christmas in December, but was arrested in front of his house.
 

 
On the nature of torture, Ogbonna claimed the Policemen used all manners of weapons, including hammers, planks, knives, unknown chemicals on them.

On the allegations that they were armed robbers and cultists, Ogbonna said the claims were lies cooked up by the Police.
“The Policemen were the ones that wrote our statements for us and forced us to agree we committed the crimes after unbearable tortures.”
 
Listen to Ogbonna's interview on Nigeriainfo FM PH below.
 


by 

[Edoman]

Ikokwu4: Female police officer who fiddled with late Chima's private part, arrested






A female police officer identified simply as Rose, who fiddled with late Chima's private while he was being tortured at E-crack Squad cell in Mile One Police Station, Port Harcourt has been arrested. 
 
The female security operative is currently being detained at Mile One Police Station following her alleged involvement in the arrest and torture of Chima and four others falsely accused of armed robbery. Read previous report here
 

 
Her arrest came after the Rivers State Police Spokesperson, Nnamdi Omoni confirmed the arrest and detention of six officers at the State Criminal Investigation Department,SCID. The detained police officers were identified as Inspector Ayogu Fidelis, Inspector Enyina Samuel, Inspector Tope, Inspector Uche, Sergeant Ake Chibuzor and Sergeant Philip Obi.
 
It is expected that the family of the late auto-mechanic will provide a pathologist for a second autopsy to be conducted on his corpse. Recall that the police claimed that the deceased died of diabetes (high blood sugar) in the autopsy report it released, but Chima's family rejected the claim. 

[Edoman]

Chima Ikwunado: Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere Gifts Mini Estate Apartment To Wife



The General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries, Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere has gifted the family of late Chima Ikwunado a mini estate and has awarded an educational scholarship, up to University level abroad to the unborn child of late mechanic, Chima Ikwunado, who allegedly died under extreme torture in the hands of E-Crack squad domiciled at Mile One Police division in Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State

The story of Mr Chima, an auto mechanic by profession who lost his life while in police custody after he was in December 2019 arrested alongside four of his apprentices while they were test running two cars is no longer news.

The News of Chima’s alleged torture and death while in police custody set Nigeria’s social media on fire with Nigerians calling for justice over the death of the mechanic who died in police custody.

The deceased, an expectant father, got married six months ago. He was the bread winner of his family and a bona fide member of OMEGA POWER MINISTRIES.

Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere who is a man with a heart of gold and a man who never abandons his own swung into Action.

Speaking to the press Apostle Chibuzor who is known for his humanitarian support to the downtrodden in the society stated that Adaugu Ikwunado, the pregnant wife of the late mechanic and her unborn child are now the responsibilities of OPM.

He promised to ensure that she delivers her baby safely at the OPM Free Specialist Hospital without charges and her feeding and clothing fully catered for.

He openly said that he had taken on the full responsibility of looking after Chima's wife and aged parents. He promised the bereaved family that he was going to do everything within his power to make sure that they lacked nothing, he told them that he was ready to take on the responsibilities of Chima who was the bread winner of the family and do for them in ten folds everything he would have done if he where to be alive.

Not only did he give the Unborn child of Chima Scholarship to university level abroad ,he also gave the wife of Chima a mini estate which comprises of a flat for the family and other flats which would be rented out to generate more income for the family. He gave the family money to cater for their present needs with promise to give them more money.

He also promised the family of Late Chima to open business for the wife. He gave his personal number to the family of Chima so that they can call him in face of challenges or difficulties, he also told them that the door of his house is wide open and that they are free to come to him for aid whenever they want.

Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere who came to the office of the Commissioner of Police stated that Chima was a member of Omega power Ministries and cannot be abandoned, he told the commissioner in the presence of Chima's family amongst many others that all he wants is for justice to prevail.

Meanwhile, the State Police Command had said that; Inspector Fidelis Ayaogu, Inspector Samuel Eyinnah, Insp Uche, Sergeant Ake Chibuzor, Sergeant Philips Obi, Inspector Tope and female Sargent Rose were officers undergoing investigation by State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department on the alleged killing of Chima.

While the Commander E-Crack Port Harcourt, Superintendent of Police (SP) Benson Adetuyi has been redeployed to enable transparency on the death of Chima in Police custody.

https://www.believespot.com/2020/02/omega-power-ministries-founder-gifts.html

[Edoman]

Chima Ikwunado’s Tortured Body For Autopsy As Police Release Corpse



Tempers flared yesterday leading to an uproar at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) when the body of late Chima Ikwunado was brought out for identification. The torturing of the auto-mechanic, who was arrested for alleged car theft, had stirred up national outcry over unrestrained police brutality against suspects and innocent persons in Nigeria.

Chima’s family, the police, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), members of Ohanaze Ndigbo, some traders at Ikoku spare parts markets, and medical experts were among those who went to UPTH to identify and carry out an autopsy on Chima.

The female police officer, who allegedly tortured Chima at E-crack Squad cell in Mile One Police Station, Port Harcourt and allegedly castrated him, was arrested on Friday. Identified simply as Rose, she was alleged to have manhandled the private parts of the deceased during the time he was going through grueling torture in police detention.

It was therefore agreed that the family would come with the police on Monday (yesterday) for identification and conduct fresh autopsy on the body as the report of the one allegedly conducted by the police claimed that he died of diabetes.

Chairman of Rivers Civil Society Organizations, Enefaa Georgewill, who led his members to the hospital narrated that when Chima’s father, Kelvin Ikwunado, saw the body, he shouted: “This is not my son”.

He said the marks on late Chima’s body were horrible. Georgewill re-emphasized that Chima was tortured to death, regardless of the outcome of the autopsy report.

According to Georgewill, the alarm caused an uproar as the deceased’s colleagues in Ikoku and other family members flared up. Georgewill explained that the body looked older than Chima and was very difficult to identity, but he said the doctors calmed Chima’s father down and urged him to check thoroughly on other features of his son like the shape of the head and ear.

The chairman of the CSOs said after careful checks, the father and some case-mates who were together with Chima at the police detention cell where he died confirmed that the body shown to them was Chima.

According to Georgewill, on sighting the wounds, Chima’s relatives insisted that with the level of injury on the deceased body, there was no need for an autopsy anymore, arguing that Chima was tortured to death.

Georgewill said the injuries on Chima’s body were horrible and gory, stating that the decaying injuries indicated that the deceased suffered brutal torture with machete cuts before his death.

He said: “We have confirmed that the body is Chima and we must say that with the level of torture that was meted out on him, it was out of this world. Chima was tortured to death, we saw cracked bones, handcuffs and neck cuffs wounds among others. The whole of his hands were macheted. This is wickedness in the highest place even when torture has been outlawed in our constitution.

“The police that was meant to protect citizens decided to maltreat a citizen to this level.

The result of the fresh autopsy is still being awaited as at press time but the medical experts that conducted the autopsy said there was no sign that an earlier autopsy has been carried out the deceased.

https://m.guardian.ng/news/uproar-as-police-release-chimas-tortured-body-for-autopsy/

[Edoman]

Ikokwu4: Police says they are embarrassed as new autopsy report counters its claim of Chima dying as a result of 'high sugar level' and not torture







The Rivers State Police Command has stated that it is embarassed after a new autopsy conducted on the body of Chima Ikwunado countered its earlier claim of the late mechanic dying as a result of 'high sugar level'. 
 
Recall that it is speculated that the deceased was tortured to death four days after he was arrested alongside four of his friends by personnel of the Eagle Crack team at the Mile One Police Division in Rivers State on December 23, 2019. 
 
Dr Stevens Musa, the pathologist hired by the family of the deceased countered the police's claim after making public his findings. He said no dissection was made on the body of the deceased, contrary to the police's claim of carrying out an autopsy and finding out that Chima died as a result of high sugar level. Musa added that they will be releasing a comprehensive report after 10 days. 
 

“The body that I examined with the observer pathologist showed no dissection that would suggest an autopsy to me.
“We have conducted the autopsy; we have done both internal and external examination and we have seen the pathologic evidence from the body that would help us to conclude the cause of death.

“We took some tissue samples that we will analyse to confirm the findings under microscopic examination. The pictures taken during the autopsy, the autopsy result with the death certificate would be communicated through the right channel.
“We are hopeful that in less than 10 days, this report will be handed over; two weeks maximum. We want you to be patient; you have been patient already and have shown a lot of strength.”

 
Commenting on the findings made public by the pathologist, Rivers State Police Spokesperson Nnamdi Omoni said the statement it issued earlier on the death of the late mechanic was based of the story the E-Crack commander, SP Benson Adetuyi gave after being interrogated. 
 
He said the E-Crack commander who has already been deployed, brought in an autopsy report allegedly signed by one Dr Obi to back his claim of the deceased dying as a result of high sugar level.  Omoni stated that they are startled that Adetuyi could lie to the Commissioner of Police and Force Headquarters in that manner.
 
The police spokesperson said; 
 

"When this incident happened we called SP Benson Adetuyi as the video went viral and asked him what happened he said they were investigating a case of armed robbery, that they were intercepted, taken to the station and that they were interrogated and detained.

That in the cell during interrogation Chima eventually died and was taken to the hospital, and that it was revealed that he died of high sugar level.

I am quoting him. So, based on that when I was interviewed on Radio I quoted him, when the CP summoned him he told the CP the same thing, when the Force PRO Called him and the team to Abuja he told them same thing so we were startled when autopsy was conducted the other day we were thrown aback.


‘’So in that my statement I equally said we were not contending with or relying 100% on what he told us, that CP has ordered full scale investigation into the matter. So the revelations we are getting today is as a result of the investigation that was instituted by the Commissioner of Police through men of the state CID. It is still the same Police that revealed there was no autopsy.

If we wanted to cover our tracks we would have done that but because we are transparent and the report from the pathologist is still from the Police Doctor.

And the officers involved in this dastardly act were being detained when it was being confirmed that the late Chima died out of torture. That is murder and we would deal with them appropriately.

‘’For the commander himself he has been redeployed. All hands are on deck to ensure that justice is served in this matter. 

"The CP has promised to address the press as soon as the autopsy report is out because that would be captured in our investigation report, and based on our report, CP would now tell the world what happened.’’