The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has called on the police to desist from aiding land grabbers to the detriment of the original owners in many parts of the country.
Addressing newsmen at the NUJ Press Centre in Warri, Delta State, CDHR National President, Kehinde Taiga, demanded justice and accountability in the long-standing land dispute in Asaba between the Okpanam community and Integrated Resources Limited, represented by Mr. Ekwe-Ogbidi.
Taiga accused the company of attempting to forcefully and unlawfully seize the ancestral land of Okpanam community and has, in the process, inflicted untold hardship, suffering and destruction on the community.
“For the past four years, the Okpanam people have endured relentless intimidation, harassment and destruction of property worth millions of naira. Despite numerous appeals and formal complaints to the police, justice remains elusive.
“Obviously, this is as a result of entrenched corruption within the Nigeria Police Force, particularly among officers from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, who are allegedly acting and abating the land grabbers,” he claimed.
Taiga emphasise that land disputes are civil matters and that the involvement of police officers taking sides on this matter, particularly those acting outside their legal mandate, obviously undermines the rule of law and violates the constitutional rights of citizens.
He stressed that the police entrusted with the responsibility of promoting justice have instead, become tools in the hands of land speculators.
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“We strongly condemn the abuse of police power to support criminal elements illegally acquiring land, a situation that has caused severe unrest in the Okpanam community.
“The role of the police should be to uphold justice and to protect the lives and property of citizens, not to collaborate with land grabbers for personal gain.
“We (CDHR) call on the inspector general of police to institute an immediate and thorough investigation into the activities of the O/C Legal, Force Headquarters, Abuja, and other officers whose conducts undermine the integrity of the Nigeria Police Force and threatens public trust and safety,” Taiga said.
He commended the Commissioner of Police in Delta State, Abaniwonda Olufemi, for standing firm against the unlawful mission, adding that the state police commissioner has demonstrated true leadership and integrity by refusing to allow external pressure to compromise peace and the rule of law in Delta State.
