Samson Folarin
Lucky Joseph, a 38-year-old artisan who was allegedly tortured by some operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Rivers State Police Command, has lodged a complaint on the attack.
This followed advice from the Officer-in-Charge of the Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU), Yomi Shogunle, who said that the allegations would be investigated.
The victim, however, told our correspondent that when he sent the message, he did not get any feedback from the police team.
When our correspondent contacted Shogunle to know why Joseph did not get any response, he said he had closed for the day.
PUNCH Metro had reported that Joseph was allegedly tortured close to his residence in the Choba Extension, Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
A video showing three SARS operatives beating up the mechanic had gone viral on the Internet last Thursday.
While one slammed him repeatedly with a cutlass, another was seen opening a tear gas canister in his face; the third official held him.
The victim’s trousers were pulled down, exposing his private parts.
The assault went on until two men intervened towards the end of the one minute video.
Joseph told PUNCH Metro that some residents contributed N30,000 which they paid the operatives before he was released.
In response to a poll by The PUNCH on some social media platforms, Nigerians had demanded that the state CP, Zaki Ahmed, resign if he could not bring the erring policemen to book.
After the Rivers State police spokesperson exonerated the operatives on the allegation of possession of hemp without addressing the torture, and the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, did not respond to enquiries on the incident, the PCRRU OC asked the victim to forward his complaint to the unit.
Joseph said he sent a text message to 08057000003, the telephone number assigned by the PCRRU for such complaints.
His text, obtained by our correspondent, said, “My name is Lucky Joseph, a resident of Odums Street, Choba, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. I was stopped by SARS officers on the street where I reside and they searched my pocket. They did not find anything except my handkerchief.
“A SARS officer wanted to return the handkerchief into my pocket, but I refused and requested that he should give it to me. A SARS officer brought India hemp from his pocket and tried to force it inside my pocket, but I resisted him. Before I could know what was going on, his colleagues had joined him and asked me to enter their vehicle, but I refused.
“I asked them what my offence was, but they insisted (that I enter the vehicle). One of them, known as ThankGod, brought out a machete and they began to torture me and drag me with my manhood. They made me naked. It took the intervention of people and my boss, whom I work with as a mechanic, before they released me (after taking) N30,000 and left me naked.”
The victim said he had yet to get any response since sending the message.
The PCRRU OC, Shogunle, said he could not comment around 8pm because it was out of office hours.
As of Thursday, the Rivers State Police Command and the Force headquarters had yet to respond to the alleged torture.
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source http://punchng.com/artisan-tortured-by-rivers-sars-reports-to-police/
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