News From Akwa Ibom
You goofed, activist chides DPO who gave detained suspects food on 2021 Christmas Day
You goofed, activist chides DPO who gave detained suspects food on 2021 Christmas Day
… says Nigeria Customs most corrupt agency in 2021
Executive Director of COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peace Building, Mr Saviour Akpan, on Friday, said the food given to detained suspects by a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Akwa Ibom State on Christmas day, December 25, 2021, was uncalled-for.
Akpan made the assertion in Uyo while reviewing activities of some law enforcement agencies in Akwa Ibom State for the year 2021 on Passion FM’s programme, ‘Security, Human Rights and You’.
Mr Felix Ekpoudom, the DPO of Uruan, Akwa Ibom State, gained prominence on the social media after photos of him giving food and drinks to detained suspects in his custody on Christmas Day surfaced online.
Ekpoudom, a Superintendent of Police, was seen in the photos as he sat alongside four suspects with obscured identities, three of them semi-naked, while they helped themselves with the rice, chicken and drinks he provided for Christmas celebration.
The DPO had (before the post went viral with hundreds of comments of applauses for his kindness) written on his Facebook page that the gesture was not intended to encourage crime but to celebrate the birth of Christ with the suspects while they awaited the processing of their cases.
However, Mr Saviour Akpan said people should understand that the immediate needs of detained suspects in such a time as Christmas are Justice and freedom contrary to the food and drinks DPO Ekpoudom provided for merry making.
According to Akpan, “I would tell the DPO that what he did was good, but he did it the wrong way. The truth has to be told. I expected that the DPO would have carried out speedy investigation that could either exonerate them on Christmas day or indict them, and let the world know about it.
“And, again, when the suspects were being fed, they were wearing only pants. That was a sign of slavery and servitude which are a violation of human rights. Even though their faces were hidden in the pictures, it was a show of shame.
“I would rather suggest that such things should not happen again because a situation where you give some persons food and they are wearing only pants does not make sense”.
Speaking further, Akpan said his organization undertook a public perception survey of different law enforcement agencies in Nigeria between October and December 2021, with particular focus on Akwa Ibom State.
“From the result of our survey, we scored the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) 96% in public relations across the state. There was serious reduction of conflicts in the way by which the FRSC related with the public, unlike in 2020 where we had officers fighting with members of the public.
“But between October and December 2021, no single person reported that they had an altercation with FRSC officers. And I want to specifically thank the unit commander of Abak, and that of Mbak Atai in Itu for a job well done.
“For the police, I want to thank the DC State CID, DCP Omolara Oloruntola. We’ve scored her 97% for continuity. She came to meet the State CID in a clean state, and she has worked and consolidated on that.
“We also have to give kudos to the Provost of the State CID, Sylvester Edet for exhibiting professionalism in the line of duty. In fact, we have a friendly police at the State CID and even at the entire command”.
The human rights activist called for a synergy between the DPO of Mkpat Enin and his counterpart in Oruk Anam in order for them “to control the pieces of kidnapping and armed robbery that have been persistent in between the two local government areas in the past months.
In the area of visibility policing within the year under review, Akpan said the Safer Highways team of the state police command took first position, as officers of the unit were always seen on the roads. He confirmed that there was no case of accidental discharge within period.
He commended Inspector Kenneth Ngele of Abak Division for his accuracy and gallantry in investigations, and recommended that he should be given a higher responsibility including making the officer to shake hands with the Inspector General of Police as a sign of encouragement.
He also thanked the Area Commanders of Eket (he scored 90%), Etim Ekpo, Ikot Ekpene, for being accessible; and the DPO of Abak for his officers’ expertise in crowd control duties
Similarly, Mr Akpan commended the DPO ‘A’ Division in Uyo for being a gentleman to the core, and his counterpart at ‘D’ Division in Itam. He said the DPOs of Ikot Abasi, Ikot Ekpene, Ibeno, Ibiono Ibom, and Eket were wonderful, including the head of Quick Intervention Unit (QIC), Ikot Ekpene, Monday Jackson, who singlehandedly donated a vehicle to his unit.
While Akpan commended Justice Ntong in the judiciary, who, he said, awarded damages against a police officer for violating the rights of an innocent member of the public, he described the Nigeria Customs Service as the most corrupt agency in Nigeria in 2021.
“There have been negative reports from Tin Can Island port against the Customs Service and other places. They have allowed their system to be so porous and vulnerable such that a lot of persons have used it to cheat unsuspecting members of the public.
“If you go to Facebook, you will see a certain Adeyemi and others like that in Customs uniform posting cars for sale at less than N600,000, and they have been duping people because of the fact that Nigeria Customs Service has failed in their responsibility at the different points of entry into the country.
“The Nigeria Customs Service is supposed to effectively man all the entry points into the country. But instead of doing that, they would create time and invade market places such as Akpan Andem in Uyo, Ladipo market in Lagos and other places and broke into traders shops at midnight to cart away bags of rice, claiming that it was smuggled into the country. Where were they when the rice entered the country?
“The Customs men would attack innocent and armless traders because they know that they could use their offices to dupe the traders in the name of enforcing the law. So, for the year 2021, we rated them as the most corrupt agency”.
While expressing optimism for quality, effective and accountable service delivery in 2022, Akpan called on the federal government to provide a permanent Secretariat for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Akwa Ibom State.
He cautioned magistrates on the illegality of Holding Charge practice. He said: “I have said it before and I will say it again that it is either charge or not. Mr Magistrate, there is nothing like holding charge. If you know you don’t have jurisdiction, why did you remand the person?
“The Administration of Criminal Justice Law stipulates that investigation must be concluded before arrest or a remand order, but despite the plethora of court decisions declaring Holding Charge illegal, the police and magistrate courts still indulge in the illegal practice thereby overcrowding the prisons with awaiting trial inmates”.
Thanks so much for your great effort with eagle eyes on the Nigerian Society, BRICC is saying that, those sectors and Men being observed as unruly,corrupt, etc., should turn a new leaf. Commendation should also be upheld for a enhancing Service Trust. Thank you.
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