Rivers lawyer seeks justice over alleged police assault

A Rivers State-based lawyer, Obioma Okeahialam, has called for
the prosecution of some policemen attached to the state police
command for allegedly assaulting him.

Our reporter learnt that Okeahialam, who went to see his client
on October 19 at his residence in Oginigba, Trans Amadi Layout, was
assaulted by the policemen for allegedly staying in a ‘drug zone
area.’

Okeahialam, who identified one of the policemen as Musa
Muhammad, said he was waiting for his client when the officers
entered the compound.

He said, “When I opened the gate for them, they asked me what I
was doing in the house and I was surprised that they could ask me
that kind of question; so, I did not answer them.

“When they walked in, they asked me again what I was doing in a
drug zone and I told them that the house belonged to my client whom
I was waiting for. Before I knew what was happening, one of the
officers brought out handcuffs.

“One of them suggested that they should arrest me. At that
point, I introduced myself that I was a lawyer, but they did not
listen to me. I wanted to show them my ID card, but they
refused.

“Before I knew what was happening, one of them slapped me.
Another officer gave me a fist blow and called me a liar. Two guys
that were sleeping in the house woke up; the officers arrested them
and searched the house.

“I asked them why they were searching the house without the
consent of the owner; they said they were looking for something
incriminating. I asked them if they got any information that
something incriminating was in the house, but they did not answer
me.”

The 32-year-old lawyer, who noted that the officers dragged him
outside the house, alleged that they attempted forcing him into
their vehicle, but he resisted.

He said a crowd quickly formed around the scene, as the officers
called their boss on the telephone.

“Their boss asked them if they found anything incriminating in
the house and they said no. He asked to speak with me on the
telephone. I introduced myself to him. The man became angry that
they arrested me when they did not find anything incriminating on
me,” he said.

The lawyer, who noted that he had difficulty in eating because
of the injuries on his jaw, said he wanted justice.

The Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni,
did not pick his mobile phone despite repeated calls by our
correspondent.

He had also yet to respond to a text message as of the time of
filing this report