CSO raises the alarm over alleged police harassment, intimidation

A civil society organisation, Greater Virtue for Traffic Watch & Development Initiatives, has raised the alarm over alleged police harassment and intimidation.

The group alleged that the police arrested its members and kept them in detention for over two weeks now without court order or taking them to court for trial in sheer abuse of police powers and contravention of the constitution.

This is contained in a statement the group made available to newsmen in Abuja and signed by its national coordinator, Hon JK Johnson Apla.

He alleged that the police stormed his office at Utako area of Abuja and arrested members of his organisation and detained them for more than a week without taking them to court. “As we speak some of our members are still in detention,” he said.

“Is it lawful to arrest people and keep them in perpetual detention without court order?” he queried.

“Section 35 of Nigerian 1999 Constitution as amended clearly indicates that it is illegal for police or any law enforcement agent to detain any suspect for longer than 48 hours without a court order. The arrest of members of my CSO since 10th of November and their detention in Antivice Police Station Zone 2 for more than two weeks now were not authorised by any court of law. “

It is unlawful, uncouth and gross abuse of our fundamental human right,” the statement reads in part.

“The only thing we can possibly perceive is annoying the police is that we are advocating for reforms in Traffic Warden Service, TWS, which indirectly imply separating the TWS from the police. May be the police does not want the TWS to go its separate way and be independent. But our activities are lawful, constitutional and borne out of the patriotic zeal to see that condition of service for the Traffic Warden improved and that traffic control in Nigerian cities is efficient”, the statement added.