Recently the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) petitioned the office of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Alkali Baba Usman, over the abuse of power and discreditable conduct of one senior Police officer, ASP Matthew Abu Michael.
RULAAC in the petition signed by the Executive Director, Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma gave some background on the disturbances at Isuaniocha in Awka-North Local Government Area of Anambra State since 2018.
According to RULAAC, “there is a longstanding communal dispute in Isuaniocha community Awka North since 2018. Some members of the community including the deposed President-General (PG) Anthony Onyeagolu were arrested and eventually charged to court for murder and attempted murder. Due to money influence it took time to get to that stage.
“In fact, while in custody in Awka awaiting arraignment
based on DPP advice, the prime suspect was secretly released but later
rearrested based on alarm raised by RULAAC upon being informed about the secret
release to evade arraignment.
“This was during the time of DIG Ogbizi as DIG Force CID.
After being arraigned and remanded, Anthony Onyeagolu still found his way out
and is now back to the community allegedly aided by ASP Matthew Abu Michael
along with some armed men said to include some of the suspects who evaded
arrest and now burning down houses of some targeted members of the community,
vandalizing their property and carrying out indiscriminate arrests. Among those
alleged to be targeted are the community youth leader, head of the community
vigilante group and relatives of the murder and attempted murder victims for
whose cases the sponsor of this renewed attack is still standing trial but
working hard to frustrate his trial.
“We are informed that since the past 4 years when the community
dispute started, Supol Matthew has always assisted the same party by writing
petitions or counter petitions for them and always making sure that the matter
comes to wherever he is as IPO. This is often to divert attention from the
investigation of criminal allegations against those paying him to work for
them. He has been involved in such cases from when he was attached to SARS,
FSARS, IGP Monitoring Team and now Force CID, Abuja.
“We are particularly concerned about the dimension of
resorting to arson. Is that part of
police investigation?
“We are further informed that the last time the plaintiffs
were supposed to attend court in Awka for the continuation of the murder trial
involving ASP Matthew Abu’s sponsors, armed thugs masquerading as Bakasi and
commanded by Supol Matthew laid ambush to arrest them in order to frustrate the
continuation of the trial.
“We have seen video evidence of some of the acts of arson
and vandalisation carried out by Supol Matthew and his armed gang, including
one Emeka Maduka who is one of the suspects but had been on the run. We have
also evidence of attempts by ASP Matthew to counter track efforts to track and
arrest the principal suspect Anthony Onyeagolu his sponsor who was being
tracked for arrest by the FCID in 2022.
“Therefore, RULAAC requested the IGP to call ASP Matthew Abu
Michael to order and also order an investigation into his alleged discreditable
conduct.
“They recommended appropriate disciplinary actions should be taken against him “if he is found to have offered his services as a police officer for selfish benefit to derail justice and intimidate innocent citizens. He should be directed to allow the trial of those involved in murder and attempted murder to continue unhindered so that justice can be served.
"The action of having the names of innocent
citizens of the community gazetted as wanted criminals should also be
investigated.”
Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma
Executive Director
April 3, 2022.
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