Polycarp Orosevwotu, Ughelli
AUTHORITIES of the Nigeria Police Force, at the weekend prevented Brothers Across Nigeria, BAN, a nonprofit, nongovernmental organisation from holding its General Assembly at Wetland Hotel, a popular hotel in Ughelli, as armed police officers laid siege to the premises.
The group had insisted on holding its meeting, demanding from the police the reason why they should not hold their meeting.
The president of the group, Dr. Lewis Aitufe reacting briefing newsmen, described the action of the police as illegal and infringement on the fundamental human rights of the Nigeria citizens as enshrined in section 40 of the Nigeria constitution.
He noted that prior to the group assembling in Delta State, the Commissioner of Police Delta State, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, the Director of SSS, where duly notified through a letter dated August 18th, and submitted to the Ughelli Area Commander, the DPO and duly acknowledged by the police, approving the meeting.
Dr. Altufe alongside one of the past presidents of the group, Mr. Femi Osinbajo and other members, said the group has obtain a perpetual judgment in court against the Nigeria Police in 2018 in a suit No. A/M/97/2018 from interfering in any of the group’s activities, but decried the gross disobedience of the police to court orders.
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He stated that with the above response and considering the huge resources that have been invested, we approached the High Court, Effurun Delta State for a court injunction in a suit No. EHC/M/77/2020, restraining the police from interfering in the activities of the Brothers Across Nigeria BAN, holding on September 25 and 26 respectively.
“With the above court injunction, the legal department of the body, were directed to write to the Inspector General of Police and also serve him the court order. To this he said; the IGP responded by asking the group to liaise with the CP Delta, and equally grant our request.”
In a memo showed to journalists and signed by DCP Idowu Owohunwa, a Principal Staff Officer to the IGP, reads, “I am to confirm that the Inspector General of Police has instructed the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command to handle your request. You may wish to liaise with him, accordingly. Kindly accept the assurance of the highest regards of the Inspector General of Police.”
When contacted, the Commissioner of Police Delta State, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, said, “We had an intelligence, and base on insecurity report, we are stopping it.”
