… Reaffirms commitment to rule of law, accountability
The Imo State Police Command has debunked a recent media report entitled “Investigation Exposes Alarming Abuse of Detainees at Police’s Tiger Base,” which alleged abuse of detainees against the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Owerri and, by extension, the Imo State Police Command.
In a press statement signed by DSP Okoye Henry, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), the Command described the publication which it says was authored by one Juliana Francis, as “serious and unfounded allegations”.
“The Command categorically rejects these allegations and asserts that the information presented in the report is misleading, lacking in facts and does not reflect the true operations of the Command.
“It is crucial to emphasize that the author did not take the necessary steps to verify the allegations with the Imo State Police Command before publishing.
“The allegations, attributed to complainants using pseudo names, have been investigated and found out to be misleading and unfounded. This raises concerns about the credibility and reliability of the information provided and; also calls into question the journalistic standards behind the report.
“In contrast to the allegations, the Imo State Police Command affirms that all suspects are treated in accordance with legal protocols and their rights respected. Hence, claims of unlawful detentions, torture, extortion, and extrajudicial killings in the command are untrue.
“The Imo State Police Command is dedicated to ensuring that all its divisions, tactical units, and formations uphold the rule of law and accountability. The Command is open to receiving genuine complaints against any tactical unit through its Complaint Response Unit.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma assures the public that all complaints will be thoroughly investigated and confidentially treated; and any officer found culpable will face severe disciplinary sanctions.
“In light of this, the Commissioner of Police urges all media personnel, especially print correspondents, to verify their reports with the Imo State Police Command before publishing. The spread of unverified and misleading information erodes public trust and undermines the integrity of the Force”, the statement read.
