The Oyo State Police Command on Tuesday explained why it refused detain suspects brought by the personnel of Oyo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun.
A statement issued and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olugbenga Fadeyi, described the reports that the police is uncooperative towards jointly combating crime in the state as “fake conceptualization.”
He said the Police is jurisdiction sensitive and structured in such a way that offences committed in a particular Area of Responsibility (AOR) cannot be treated in another.
The statement read: “The attention of the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, psc has been drawn to the news making the rounds about the refused admittance of robbery suspects brought by the South West Security Network, code named Amotekun, into Mokola and Iyaganku Divisional detention facilities. A message promulgated to create an imagery that the police is uncooperative towards jointly combating crime with the said body, an obviously fake conceptualization.
“On a contrary, the Commissioner of Police is a disciple in the school of community policing and has made it known on several occasions that “ the more the merrier,” establishing the fact that both organizations are striving towards the same goal which is the effective deployment of human and material resources towards combating crime with the Police leading as others complement. However, a fusion at its early stage could be fractious due to differences in policies and Modus Operandi, which when carefully evaluated is the cause of the above.
“The Nigeria Police force as an organization is jurisdiction sensitive and structured in such a way that offences committed in a particular Area of Responsibility (AOR) cannot be treated in another, as this is done for efficiency and accountability sake. The original sight of the robbery as gathered by the officers on duty as at the time of the case transfer and from the promulgated news is Iwo road area under the responsibility of Agodi Division. Investigation also revealed that no case of armed robbery has been reported in the Division or any other of its environ as at or prior to that time, this is a course to look into and to do so, the enforcement of jurisdictional policing must be observed.”
It continued:
“The Amotekun operatives had earlier visited Mokola Division where they were advised to the best of the knowledge of the receiving officers and with the information at their disposal that the Division with the AOR to best handle the case is Iyaganku Division, upon getting to Iyaganku Division, the officers at the receiving end after critically analyzing the story taking its origin into consideration did not reject the suspect but directed that the suspects be taking to Agodi Division, a directive that was disregarded which led to the misconception making the rounds.
“A case to buttress the above is an incidence reported at Igboora Police Station involving one Alhaji Umoru Salihu and the Amotekun operatives, about 30 in number who reportedly stormed Alhaji Umoru’s residence and allegedly to have as the report read “shot sporadically into the air, carted away the sum of N350,000 from him and an undisclosed amount from his wives before whisking two of his boys away to the nearest police station.
”They said the boys were arrested during an armed robbery operation. One of the boys was shot before being brought to the station where he was denied admission into the detention facility for obvious reasons of being medically unfit and returned to the Commander of the Amotekun Corps and his team for treatment. He was thereafter taken to the hospital where he died on admission, investigation is still in progress and is drawn towards ensuring that justice deserved is served.
“The Commissioner of Police wishes to inform the general public that the Command is more than ever committed towards partnering with sister agencies and local security outfits towards bringing the level of crime to the barest minimum in the state. In view of the above, the Commissioner of Police wishes to inform the leaders and by extension men of various security operatives within the state to desist from high handedness and treatment of suspects with antipathy, inflicting serious bodily damages that often times results in death.
It has also gotten to the attention of the Commissioner of Police that some suspects arrested and brought to the station by other security operatives are usually brought in terrible health/bad conditions not admissible for detention, leaving the Police in no other condition but the demand for the treatment of such suspect, that after which he/she can be returned for necessary actions.
“The CP wishes to unequivocally state that henceforth, suspects in bad health condition or of cases without complainants or witnesses will not be attended.
“He urged members of local security operatives that have been assisting the Police and also discharging their duties with respect for the fundamental right of citizens to keep up the good work, but admonish those at the erring end of the scale to eschew self help in the demand for justice and to quit chasing clout. Not forgetting the good people of the state, the CP wishes to also condemn the dastardly act of “Jungle Justice/” emphasising the need to preserve the fundamental rights to fair hearing of every individual.”
Fadeyi added that the CP enjoined residents of the state to report any unauthorised person or persons found in possession of fire arms to the nearest police facility.
