The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, has responded to the statement issued by the Anambra State Police Command concerning the arrest and detention of Ms. Nwosu Chikamso Jennifer, expressing worry over attempt by the police to lecture civil society on the issue of due diligence
RULAAC, in statement issued by Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguna, welcomed the response by the police through its Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, but said it was inappropriate for the police to suggest that civil society failed to exercise due diligence.
RULAAC’s statement read:
“The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has taken note of the statement issued by the Anambra State Police Command through its Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, concerning the arrest and detention of Ms. Nwosu Chikamso Jennifer.
“We welcome the Command’s decision, albeit belatedly, to provide its own account of the circumstances surrounding Ms. Jennifer’s arrest. However, we are concerned by the attempt to lecture civil society organisations and the media about “due diligence” and verification when RULAAC specifically sought verification from the Police before the matter entered the public domain.
“Upon receiving the complaint, RULAAC did not simply accept the allegations as established facts. We contacted the appropriate Police authorities and requested that the claims be verified and investigated.
“The Police Public Relations Officer was specifically contacted and given an opportunity to provide the Command’s position.
“Our communication was read, but no response was received for about 48 hours. It was only after the matter became public that the Command found it necessary to respond.
“It is therefore inappropriate for the Command to suggest that civil society organisations and the media failed to exercise due diligence.
“What greater due diligence could reasonably have been expected of RULAAC than to take the allegations directly to the Police and request verification before drawing conclusions? Public institutions cannot ignore legitimate requests for clarification and subsequently accuse those seeking clarification of failing to verify information.
“The Command has now introduced an important factual claim: that Ms. Jennifer was not arrested merely because she is the sister of Nwosu Kenechukwu, but because she allegedly assisted him to evade arrest. That allegation should be capable of objective verification.
“If the Police had reasonable grounds to suspect her of committing an offence, they should state the specific offence allegedly committed and demonstrate that her arrest, detention and treatment complied with the Constitution, the Police Act 2020 and applicable criminal justice legislation.
“The Command should also explain why Ms. Jennifer was reportedly detained for four days without being charged before a court. An allegation that a person assisted a suspect to evade arrest does not suspend constitutional safeguards governing arrest and detention.
“More importantly, the categorical denial of the alleged ₦600,000 payment does not dispose of the allegation. Ms. Jennifer maintains that money was paid in connection with securing her release.
“This is a serious allegation that requires investigation, not simply denial. The appropriate response is to identify the officers who handled her arrest and detention, establish whether any money changed hands, trace the circumstances of any such transaction, and determine whether official bail documentation and property records exist.
“RULAAC has no interest whatsoever in obstructing the investigation of cult-related killings or shielding any person reasonably suspected of murder or other serious crimes. Anyone against whom credible evidence exists should be investigated and prosecuted according to law. But the seriousness of an investigation cannot justify unlawful arrest, prolonged detention, arrest by proxy, extortion or any other violation of due process.
“If the Police maintain that Ms. Jennifer herself committed an offence by assisting her brother to evade arrest, that allegation should be investigated transparently and dealt with according to law. It should not become a convenient retrospective justification for conduct that was originally brought to our attention as an alleged case of detention in lieu of a wanted relative.
“RULAAC therefore calls on the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, to order a transparent and impartial investigation into the circumstances of Ms. Jennifer’s arrest and four-day detention, including the allegation that ₦600,000 was paid in connection with her release.
“We hope that the Anambra State Police Command will address these issues fairly, objectively and transparently. However, if the Command is unable or unwilling to satisfactorily resolve the serious questions raised by this complaint, RULAAC may have no other option than to petition the Inspector-General of Police for an independent review and appropriate investigation of the matter. This should not be necessary if the Command subjects the competing claims to a credible fact-finding process rather than treating its own public denial as the final determination of the complaint.
“Finally, Police Public Relations Officers exist precisely to facilitate communication between Police Commands and the public, including journalists and civil society organisations seeking verification of allegations. Accountability is better served when legitimate inquiries are answered promptly rather than ignored until publication generates public attention.
“RULAAC remains ready to provide the Command with the information received from the complainant and expects that the matter will be investigated objectively rather than reduced to an exchange of public statements,” the rights group said
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