No less than 57 civil society organisations under the banner of the Action Group on Free Civic Space (AGFCS), have demanded an independent panel to probe allegations of illegal detention, extortion, kidnapping, torture, extra-judicial killings, and organ harvesting levelled against some police officers in Zone 13 Headquarters Ukpo, Anambra State and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, Anambra State Command.
The Officer-in-Charge of Awkuzu Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Patrick Agbazue, and his team of other alleged rogue officers, were said to be involved in kidnapping, murder, organ harvesting and extortion.
In a statement last Friday by Police Spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, he said: “In light of the serious allegations leveled against the officers – CSP Patrick Agbazue, officer-in-charge of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Anambra State Command; SP Nwode Nkeiruka, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo-Dunukofia, and Inspector Harrison Akama attached to the RRS, they reported at the Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja today Friday 17th February, 2023, on the directives of the IGP for commencement of investigations to ascertain the veracity of the allegations for further necessary action, while the panel has been given a period of two weeks to come up with a report of investigations.”
The whistle was blown on the team by Gistlover, a blogger, showing pictures, videos of some of their victims, and account details of how Agbazue and his team allegedly moved money from their victims’ bank accounts after allegedly murdering them, and moving their bodies to a private morgue. The blogger gave the name of the morgue owner and his contact.
The CSOs, say the allegations against the police team are severe and disturbing, hence requiring a thorough, diligent and transparent investigation by an independent panel.
The statement reads in part: “For about a week, social media has been buzzing with several allegations and testimonies against the same squad using the hashtags #Anambrakillings #arrestpatrickagbazue #anambra.
“The allegations are appalling, an affront to the sanctity of human rights and dignity and undermine the fundamental principles of responsible policing and development of just societies for which the Nigerian Police Force should be known.
“These current allegations are severe and disturbing, reflecting the findings in the AGFCS joint- action research report “#ENDSARS: Police Brutality and Shrinking Civic Space in Nigeria.”
