IG Orders Probe of Three Officers for Extra-judicial Killings

The investigation of three high-ranking police officers serving in Anambra State accused of involvement in illegal arrests and extra-judicial killings, among others has been ordered by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali.

The force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.Adejobi, a chief superintendent of police, gave the names of the affected officers as Patrick Agbazue, Nkeiruka Nwode and Harrison Akama.Agbazue, a chief superintendent of police, serves as officer-in-charge of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Unit of the police in Anambra State, while Ms Nwode, a superintendent of police, is the spokesperson in Zone 13 Headquarters of the police.

Akama, an inspector, is attached to the RRS unit of the police in Anambra.Earlier, a Nigerian news blog had published a report accusing the officers of engaging in illegal arrest, torture, extortion and extra-judicial killings of their victims.The blog claimed that the officers "illegally" arrested their victims, labeled them as "unknown gunmen" and then tortured them to accept the labeling before killing them and taking possession of their vehicles and other valuables.

Gunmen have been carrying out deadly attacks mainly on government facilities and security agencies in Anambra State and other parts of south-east Nigeria.On Friday, after the publication by the news blog, many Nigerians on various social media platforms, began calling for the arrest and prosecution of the officers.Mr Adejobi said the order by the IGP to investigate the affected officers was in response to the "weighty allegations" against them.

The force spokesperson said the affected officers arrived at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, Friday, on the orders of the IGP for the investigations.

He said a special investigation panel under the IGP Monitoring Unit would investigate the allegations against the officers, and that the panel is expected to turn in its report within two weeks.

"The IGP has assured that the findings of the investigations will determine the next line of action, even as he promised that the force will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that justice is done in the case and sanctions meted to any officers found guilty accordingly," Mr Adejobi said.

The force spokesperson enjoined Nigerians who have had any bad experiences with the officers or who have any information about their alleged acts of high-handedness, extortion or extra-judicial killings to report the same to the panel to aid their investigations.