LUCKY Nwidu, a Port Harcourt-based pharmacist has filed petition to the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Muhammed over extortion by officers of Rivers State Police Command who claimed to be enforcing lockdown order.
The ICIR had reported how officers of the Ozuoba police station in Port Harcourt arrested, extorted and put Nwodu’s life at risk.
According to the solicitor of Nwidu, the officers locked up Nwidu after he had explained to them that as an essential worker, his office, Luckpharm Pharmacy has been exempted from the lockdown.
Despite his explanations, he was kept in the police and a bail of N100,000 was demanded by the investigating police officer identified as Inspector Bukola with the knowledge of the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Christian Ogowoke.
After spending hours in police custody, Nwidu was eventually granted bail after paying N20,000 despite his attorney’s explanation that he had not committed any crime.
Nwidu through his lawyer is demanding that the officers involved in his arrest should be sanctioned and that the commissioner of police in the state should tender an unreserved apology for the misconducts of his officers.
In the petition, the pharmacist also asked for a refund of N20,000 extorted from him by the Police Division without which other steps may be taken including demanding compensation.
In a separate petition addressed to the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, the pharmacist demanded a compensation of N100,000,000.
As stated in the petition, the compensation is for the damages and unfair treatment of Nwidu by officers of the police.
“The payment of N100, 000,000.00. ie One hundred Million Naira, as compensation and damages to our client who has been treated inhumanly and in a degrading manner contrary to chapter 5 of the 1999 constitution,” the petition read.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94