Lawyer accuses police of illegal detention and extortion

A lawyer, Wisdom Chude, has accused the Octopus Unit of the Nigeria Police Force’s C4i Department in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, of serious human rights violations. He claims this includes unlawful detention, torture, and extortion of suspects.

Mr Chude shared these claims in a Facebook post on Sunday. He spoke with a man who said he was held at the facility in the Mile 2 area of Diobu.

The lawyer tagged the Rivers State police spokesperson, Blessing Agabe, in his post.

Claims of unlawful detention

Mr Chude said the man told him he was arrested over a petition that had "no connection whatsoever" to him. He also mentioned that he was detained for several days.

While in custody, the detainee claimed he faced severe beatings and repeated slaps. He said he was forced to pay N180,000 before he could be released.

Mr Chidera quoted the unnamed man as saying that "every item seized from him, including his shoes and shirts, had a separate price attached before they could be released back to him."

The detainee also reported that others had been held for two to three months without bail or being charged in court. "He also recounted the case of a young man who was allegedly extorted of N200,000 under the guise of bail, only to be returned to the cell after completing the payment," Mr Chude wrote.

Call for investigation

Mr Chude described these allegations as disturbing. He is calling for an urgent look into the tactical unit.

"The Octopus Unit deserves urgent scrutiny. The scale of the alleged human rights violations taking place there should be a matter of serious public concern," he wrote.

He also questioned the effectiveness of oversight measures. He pointed out that Rivers State has an Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee. There are legal provisions that require judges and chief magistrates to inspect detention facilities regularly.

"How can anyone be detained for weeks or even months without bail, without being charged in court, and without any meaningful oversight?" he asked.

Mr Chude urged the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to make routine visits to tactical units instead of relying only on reports from unit commanders.

Police order probe

In response to the claims, the police in Rivers State said they have started looking into the facts surrounding the allegations.

The police spokesperson, Ms Agabe, said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday that the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, has ordered an investigative panel to look into the allegations thoroughly.

She urged affected persons and the public to come forward with credible information about the claims. She mentioned that such people can visit the office of the Police Public Relations Officer or contact the Complaint Response Unit through its dedicated phone lines.

The commissioner reiterated that holding someone beyond the legal time frame without due process is unlawful and will not be accepted. "He (the commissioner) further warned that any officer found engaging in unethical or unlawful practices will face strict disciplinary measures in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Nigeria Police Act," the statement added.