Imo Police, SARS Commander And His Excesses

There is no doubt that the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Okey Ezike is a hard working Officer of the Nigeria Police Force. Within the last one year of his posting to the State as Police Commissioner, he has combated crime and criminality to a standstill.

Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Car-snatching and other forms of crime have been reduced to its minimum. Thanks to the ingenuity of CP Chris Okey Ezike.

Nevertheless, let me point out that the genuine efforts of this Police Commissioner to tackle crime in Imo State are being frustrated by the Commander of the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). What do I mean?

On the 24th of February 2018, Police Officers from SARS Department of the Imo State Police Command stormed the residence of one Engr. Mike Ihejirika at Umukehi Orji-Mission in Owerri North LGA and arrested him, accusing him of Armed Robbery and kidnapping. They also accused him of receiving a Sienna Vehicle as Gift from a notorious kidnapper, popularly called E-Money; who was killed in January 2018.

For the records, Engr. Mike Ihejirika is a staff of MACOL Construction Company Ltd, a known Construction Company in Imo State. According to him, he bought his SIENNA Vehicle on Wednesday the 21st of February 2018 at Lagos. Three days later, he was arrested and accused of Armed Robbery, kidnapping and indeed using the SIENNA vehicle for crime purposes.

Engr. Mike Ihejirika was thereafter detained for two days before he was granted bail, after extortion of huge sum of money from him. His vehicle was not released to him. The SARS Commander is holding the vehicle and the original particulars. The IPO’s name is one Lady
Alice. They are asking Engr. Mike Ihejirika to bring N300,000.00 before his vehicle would be released to him. Engr. Mike Ihejirika has also contacted the person he bought the vehicle from, one Mrs. Augusta Oseghade, who lives in Lagos. The Woman has made four attempts in
calling the IPO and Commander of SARS. Each time she introduced herself as the person that sold the vehicle to Engr. Mike Ihejirika, the IPO and the Commander would off their phones. This morning, before putting down this piece, I called Mrs. Augusta Oseghade on phone to
ascertain if truly she was the one that sold the SIENNA Vehicle to Engr. Mike Ihejirika. She confirmed to me that she is the one that sold the vehicle and that she owned the vehicle. She also informed me she had made four attempts in contacting the SARS Commander and the IPO in Owerri through her phone, but each time she introduced herself as the person that sold the vehicle to the present owner, the IPO and the Commander would off their phones.

It should be noted that “E-Money” was killed in January 2018, but Engr. Mike Ihejirika bought his vehicle on the 21st of February 2018. The SARS Commander has refused to explain how “E-Money” who was killed in January 2018, sold the vehicle to Engr. Mike Ihejirika on the 21st
of February 2018. This is a clear case of blackmail to continue to extort money from Engr. Mike Ihejirika. However, the woman who owned the vehicle before selling it to the present owner has stepped out to confront the Police, but the Commander of SARS do not want to give Mrs. Oseghade audience, through telephone conversation: since she lives in lagos (Lagos State). The SARS Commander is only interested in extorting money from Engr. Mike Ihejirika.

This is the third time this same SARS Commander will be crossing my path. The first time was in November 2016, when he arrested and detained one Chief Ugochukwu Egbuodike Onyekaba, after accusing him of Arm Robbery and Car snatching. I stepped into the matter and dealt a
fatal blow on the SARS Commander. The then Commissioner of Police, CP Taiwo Lakanu (now an AIG) cautioned the SARS Commander and thereafter released (handed over) Chief Ugochukwu Egbuodike Onyekaba to me, in his office.

The second time was in April, 2017 when he arrested and detained an innocent young boy, Mr. Kelechi Agoha, accusing him of arm robbery. I stepped into the matter and dealt with him. Thereafter, Mr. Kelechi Agoha was released (handed over) to me.

Now, it appears that this same SARS commander is bent on tarnishing the good image of the Nigeria Police Force, Imo Police Command and CP Chris Okey Ezike.

My petition to the Force Headquarters and Police Service Commission is ready. If in the next 24 hours the Green SIENNA Vehicle with Registration Number Lagos KF 950 EC and its original particulars are not released to its owner, Engr. Mike Ihejirika, my petition exposing the Imo SARS Commander and his excesses, will be sent to the Inspector General of Police and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, with copies made available to the Presidency, National Assembly, Imo State Government House and the Press. Enough should now be enough.

I rest my pen.

Signed

Hon. Citizen Dr. Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha FCAI, MKDA
Former Senior Special Assistant on Media
Immediate Past Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties
Imo State House of Assembly