Mudiaga Affe, Calabar
The police in Obudu, northern part of
Cross River State, have arrested two men, Stephen Apebende and his
unidentified friend, for allegedly photographing police officers via
their cell phones while extorting road users.
This came just as the Inspector-General
of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, had during his visit to Calabar berated
some commissioners of police for being responsible for extortions from
road users.
The detained men, who spent their Easter
Sunday and Monday holidays at the police cell in Obudu Police Station,
were arrested along the Obudu Ranch Resort Road at the police checkpoint
just before the residence of the Chief of Staff to Governor Ben Ayade,
Mr. Martins Orim.
Southern City News learnt on
Friday that the officers were furious that Apebende and his friend had
captured them while collecting bribe from road users.
The situation was further compounded
after the policemen discovered that they could not gain access to the
photo album of the android and i-phone that was used by the duo in
capturing their images.
A family source, Ugbe Samson, said, “The
two men were released on Monday after the policemen brought in a local
GSM phone guru to unlock the seized phones.”
It was learnt that Apebende, who works
with a non-governmental organisation with focus on HIV/AIDS, would press
for legal redress over the matter.
Samson said although Apebende was
advised by close family relatives not to push for any case against the
police, the plea, it was gathered might not work.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. John Eluu, said he was not aware of the development.
“I have not got that report from the
Obudu division. But I would want to advise those affected to come to the
Police headquarters in Calabar to formally lay their complaints if
anything of that nature ever happened. The Commissioner of Police, Mr.
Henry Fadairo, will attend to such case if they have proof.”
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of
Police, Solomon Arase, had during a stakeholders meeting with
traditional rulers, Muslim and Christian community leaders and traders,
said extortion from road users in any state is a reflection of the
disposition of commissioner of police.
Arase, who was responding to complaints
from a stakeholder on extortions on highways, said, “You can know a
corrupt commissioner of police from the conduct of his men on the
highway. If I am driving through some states in Nigeria, I easily
perceive the personality of the commissioner through his men.”
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