Thompson Nsisongabasi , a journalist with AF-NEWS who was bullied on April 14, 2020 by some Police men has appeared before a panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, Extra Judicial Killings And Other Related Matters sitting in Umuahia today, March 3.
Narrating his ordeal on the said day to the panel, Thompson said he was on his way to work , along BCA junction by Ikot Ekpene road, when he saw some people scattering away. He said he didn’t bother to run as he thought they were being chased by Covid taskforce, also he had his identity card that shows he is an essential worker.
According to the witness, three of the policemen from CPS anti-robbery squad approached him, demanded for his phone which he refused to offer as he explained to the officers that he is a journalist.
He said one of the police men, inspector Sunday Daniel hit him with a batton, slapped his face and ear , forcefully took his phone , and pushed him into a gutter.
The appearance of Alhaji Suleiman Ukandu, Abia State Commissioner for lands, at the scene made the officers to stop the maltreatment.
” The Commissioner of Lands asked what was wrong , I explained to him. He spoke with the Policemen, and told me that they will give me back my phone.
” When the Commissioner left, the Policemen started leaving one by one. I started shouting that they should give me back my phone.
” Inspector Sunday said he would slap me , I told him if he slaps me , I’ll slap him back.
” The bundled me into the car. Ad they were beating me, they smashed my laptop which I had in a bag.
” As I was at the back of the police van, handcuffed, I sighted an officer whom I thought should be their superior , so I called his attention and narrated everything to him.
” The man asked them, ‘ did this man tell you he is a journalist’? , They said yes. He asked them to uncuff me , and drove me in his car to his office at police headquarters in Bende road Umuahia.
” He assigned a Policeman to retrieve my phone but asked him to follow me home so I could change as I had bruises.
“As we were going, I told him I wanted to report the matter in a police station. I branched to Ehimiri Police station where they recorded the incidence and gave me a paper to go to police clinic.
” Afterwards I refused going home . I insisted on reporting to work so that my boss Emenike Iroegbu could see how I was and know why I was late for work.”
Thompson said his boss, Emenike Iroegbu made a video of his then state , which was uploaded on the AF-NEWS Platforms and was also carried by other online media outfits.
Further in his witness; ” I went with my boss to meet the PPRO, Geoffrey Ogbonna, he directed us to meet the DPO, CPS Umuahia to get my phone.
” On arrival, the DPO asked if I could identify the Policeman, I said yes. He invited inspector Sunday, who brought out some phones for me to identify mine, but I didn’t see my Gionee M5 android phone.
“When the DPO asked him about the phone, inspector Sunday denied collecting my phone, saying that he only beat me at the scene.
” The DPO asked me to give him 24 hours that my phone will be provided. He made a radio call, mandating anyone with the phone to provide it.”
He said the police asked him to settle with the inspector, Sunday as they couldn’t find his phone.
” Inspector Sunday took me to his office, and suggested that he should give me 75% of the phone price or get an equivalent, which I agreed.
” The next day, we met , I told him I didn’t see the exact phone but saw and equivalent. He also said he saw an equivalent which is N20, 000 while my phone was N45,000.
“Inspector Sunday said I should bring N5,000 so he can add to the N15,000 he had so he can buy the phone.
” I refused because the phone he wanted to replace mine with, didn’t have the qualities I need .
” My boss gave me that phone and I use it to do some of my jobs.
” The police told me that if I don’t want to agree to their terms, I should provide the receipt of the phone.
” I went to my boss who gave me the phone for the receipt, but he said he doesn’t have the receipt then”.
” My mom contacted her brother, the deputy commissioner of police Kogi state, Obong Obong who asked to speak with the DPO on phone, after which the police called me to come and pick my phone.
” When I went, they told.me that I’ve petitioned them and the matter was under investigation. The police threatened that it will take more than a year and I will forget it.”
The petitioner told the panel that he developed a problem in his ear as a result of the beating from the police.
” At a point, my ear started bringing out blood and water and I had to use cotton wool to cover my ear.
” I went back to the police clinic to report my problem, the doctor prescribed drugs for me but told me that I would need a correctional surgery.”
He pleaded a compensation of N5 Million naira to get his surgery done, replace his phone and laptop.
After cross examination, the respondent’s counsel Augustine Udo, pleaded that the panel set another date, to enable him carry out investigations and return for further questions.
The case was adjourned to March, 24, for further cross examination.
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