The alleged assault which took place Friday night night according to Agbili was unleashed on him by Policemen who were guarding the road that passes in front of Anambra State Police Command, Awka.
Agbili who said to be passing with his official vehicle and carrying his family, said that in spite of identifying himself to one Inspector PETER SAMUEL as Fire Officer, he refused him from passing after making a derogatory remark on him "common fire service"?.
But in a statement issued in Awka,Anambra State,Sunday, HURIJE condemned the alleged assault as barbaric and undue display of arrogance by these Policemen on duty.
In the statement signed by the chairman BOT, Human Rights Liberty Access and Peace Defenders Foundation, Dede Uzor A. Uzor, HURIJE said the Policemen on duty had no reason to assault Agbili if not only because of their overzealousness and lack of respect for any other uniform organisation which does not bear arms.
HURIJE said that the road was meant to serve the general public but the Police Command out of sheer disregard for the law which they are created to ensure its observance hijacked and blocked it at the expenses of the public.
Even if the man had insisted that he wanted to pass through the road, there was no reason for manhandling him in the presence of his wife and family, instead they would have politely asked him to take another route.
But is it possible for Agbili as a Fire Officer, whose office is close to the Police Command to be a security threat to the Command.
We think security threat has become one reason the Police uses to infringe in the fundamental rights of the citizens.
It is however unfortunate that the Police Public Relations Officer for the Command, Haruna Mohammed, a Superintendent of Police (SP), stoutly defended the action of his men, instead of condemning it and disciplining them accordingly to serve as a deterrent to others.
The assault of Police on Nigerians and other uniformed personnel they consider inferior has become rampant in recent time.
A civil Defence Officer was said to have been beaten to death by some Police officers in the presence of his wife and children when he was taken them to school in Abuja few months ago.
HURIJE is therefore alarmed by this show of force, barbarism and crudity and demand that the Anambra State Commissioner, Dandaura to arrest the Policemen involved and discipline them accordingly.
We also asked the Command to offer unreserved apology to Mr. Agbili, failure of which we ask him to initiate legal action against the Police.
The Police should not attempt to be or behave as if they are above the law of the land by using the uniform and guns bought for them with tax payers money to intimidate, humiliate and assault its citizens it meant to protect.
HURIJE praised the immediate intervention of DCP operations Mr Mike Okolie for promptly intervening and rescuing Mr Agbili.
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