CDHR Calls On IGP To Launch Independent Investigation Into Alleged Police Complicity In Land Grabbing In Asaba

The Committee for the Defence of Human Right (CDHR) has called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to launch an independent investigation into activities of some police officers at the Force Headquarters in alleged case of land grabbing in Okpanam in Asaba of Delta State.

This call was made by Dr. Kehinde P. Taiga, National President, Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) while addressing journalists at Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Warri Correspondents Chapel Press Centre, he said that the alleged action of some police officers in the Legal Department (names with held) undermines the integrity of the Nigeria Police Force.

Dr. Taiga demands justice and accountability in the long-standing land dispute in Asaba between the Okpanam people and Mr. Ekwe-Ogbidi integrated Resources Limited for allegedly attempting to forcefully and unlawfully seize the ancestral land of the Okpanam community which has led to crisis and death, adding that these actions have inflicted untold hardship, suffering and destruction on the community.

According to him “for the past four years, the Okpanam people have endured relentless intimidation, harassment and destruction of properties worth millions of Naira. Despite numerous appeals and formal complaints to the police, justice remains elusive, this obviously as a result of alleged entrenched corruption within the Nigeria Police Force, particularly among others from Force Headquarters, Abuja, who are allegedly aiding and abetting the land grabbers.”

Dr. Taiga emphasized that land disputes are civil matters and that the involvement of Police Officers allegedly taking side on this matter, particularly those acting outside their legal mandate, obviously undermined the rule of law and violates the constitutional rights of citizens, stressing that the police who are entrusted with the responsibility of protecting justice, have instead become tools in the hands of land speculators.

Dr. Taiga added, “we strongly condemn the abuse of police power to support some people to illegally acquire land, a situation that has caused severe unrest in Okpanam Community, Asaba The role of the police should be to uphold justice and to protect the lives and property of citizens not to allegedly collaborate with land grabbers for personal gain.

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“We (CDHR) call on the Inspector General of Police to institute an immediate and thorough investigation into the activities of the O/C Legal, Force Headquarters, Abuja, and other officers whose conduct undermine the integrity of the Nigeria Police Force and threatens public trust and safety.”

He commended the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, C.P Abaniwonda Olufemi for standing firm against the unlawful mission, adding that C.P Olufemi has demonstrated true leadership and integrity by refusing to allow external pressure to compromise peace and the rule of law in Delta State.

Dr. Taiga categorically demanded that there should be immediate investigation into the conduct of all implicated police officers from Force Headquarter, including O/C Legal Abuja for abuse of power and unlawful interference, prosecution of all individuals involved, including any other officers found to have facilitated land grabbing, restoration of all destroyed properties and adequate compensation to the victims, and immediate reinstatement of case No. CMA/334c/2024 which was allegedly improperly struck out based on an illegally issued Notice of Discontinuance and this injustice must be immediately corrected.”