The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Abaniwonda Surajudeen Olufemi has ordered the detention of the policemen who allegedly shot the vigilante commander of Idjerhe Kingdom in Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that the kingdom’s vigilante commander, Mr. Freeborn Ofeshohwo Alia’s Cornerstone, and two of his lieutenants, Mr. Friday Johnson and Enor Young were shot by the policemen when they allegedly invaded the kingdom on January 30, 2024, under the guise of searching for drugs.
Although the vigilante commander and his other two men survived the shooting they are however said to still be lying in critical condition at an undisclosed hospital.
In a phone chat with NewsNetNigeria today Friday, the spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed the development but quickly disclosed that CP Olufemi who assumed duty as the 22nd CP to Delta has ordered that the policemen allegedly involved in the shooting be detained while the incident is being investigated.
“We are on it. The CP has ordered that the policemen be detained while we look into the matter,” said the police image-maker.
Meanwhile, the Delta CP order may have stemmed from the protest by residents of Idjerhe communities, demanding that the policemen behind the shooting must be fished out.
NIGER DELTA TODAY reports that during the protest organised by Idjerhe women and attended by traditional chiefs and Illotu from various communities in Idjerhe Kingdom in Jesse town, the protesters claimed that the irate policemen were on an illegal duty.
The Otota (Spokesperson) of Great Idjerhe Kingdom, Chief Onosia James Obriki, decried the unprovoked attack on members of Idjerhe vigilante group, saying that the injured persons were currently receiving treatment “for life-threatening injuries sustained during the attack”.
Chief Obriki, flanked by the Unuevworo of Idjerhe Central, Chief Solomon Ojariafe; President General, Idjerhe Kingdom Development Union, Chief Lucky Edomidaghan and others, demanded justice for the illegal attack.
Disclosing details of the attack, the high-ranking traditional chief said, “On the 30th of January 2024, some police officers came to Idjerhe kingdom to terrorize the peaceful people of the community.
“On this faithful day, the police officers intimidated and harassed the Commander of the Idjerhe Kingdom’s vigilante outfit, Mr. Freeborn Ofeshohwo Alia’s Cornerstone, Mr. Friday Johnson and Enor Young and other members. This is a man who has served this Kingdom meritoriously for the last 10 years and not found wanting in any way of criminality or otherwise.
“They came under the pretence of looking for drugs at the country home of the vigilante commander. There were no elements of drug dealings as they alleged. If there were, they should have found some of these drugs after properly investigating the allegations, before going ahead to engage in their extra-judicial shooting and maiming of our law-abiding sons of Idjerhe Kingdom.
“Our investigation has revealed that when the Police officers came to Idjerhe Kingdom, they went to the Jesse Town Police station to book their arrival, claiming that they were in search of cultists. They entered the Kingdom in the middle of the night.
“However, their claim turned out to be false and with a mission to harass and intimidate the vigilante commander on issues of drug dealings the primary aim of extorting money from him. If they had not come with the mission to extort money from our people, they should have opened up at the Jesse Town police station and informed the leadership of the police station that they had come for drugs-related matters.
“It is very shameful that police officers on approved mission by their superior will come to make arrest and eventually abort the mission, by running away leaving behind their identity cards and cell phones after engaging in unwarranted behaviours.”
