Posted by Chiawo Nwankwo, Abuja on
Some members of the South-East caucus in the House of Representatives have asked the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, and the Police Commissioner in charge of Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Emmanuel Adebayo, to resign over the escape from custody, of the Garki Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Abdulsalam Othman, a chief superitendent of police.
Some members of the South-East caucus in the House of Representatives have asked the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, and the Police Commissioner in charge of Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Emmanuel Adebayo, to resign over the escape from custody, of the Garki Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Abdulsalam Othman, a chief superitendent of police.
Othman and nine other suspects were under the custody of Force Criminal Investigative Department over their alleged role in the killings of six Igbo traders penultimate week in Apo, Abuja.
The caucus, at a meeting on Wednesday at the residence of its chairman and Deputy House Leader, Mr. Emeka Nnaji, flayed the extra-judicial killings of the traders.
At a news briefing by Nnaji on Thursday, the caucus described Othman's escape as 'a huge joke" and advised that tight security measures be taken to avert further escapes.
It demanded that the other nine suspects should be handed over to the State Security Services to ensure reliable custody of the suspects.
Besides, the lawmakers said that they frowned on the mysterious death of one of the key witnesses in police custody, adding that the strange death of the witness and the DPO's escape, suggested that the police were incompetent in investigating the murder.
They, therefore, commended the Federal Government for disbanding the Mike Okiro led board of inquiry into the killings and replacing it with a judicial commission.
While it expressed confidence in the Commission headed by Justice O.O Goodluck, it urged the government to implement its recommendations, stressing that it was the only way to assuage the anger of Nigerians over the killings; and to ensure that justice was done.
Ehindero had earlier vowed that the Force would not be involved in any cover up in its investigations and disclosed that the police officer under whose custody Othman escaped had been arrested.
Meanwhile, the police on Thursday announced the suspension, from duty, of a Chief Superitendent of Police, Mr. Lawan Ado, who was handling the case of Othman before his escape from custody.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emma Ighodalo, a superitendent of police, in a statement also said other officers indicted over the killings have also been suspended.
The Punch, Friday, July 01, 2005