60-yr-old widow cries out over alleged unlawful detention, torture of only son

Daniel Anokwuru

A bedridden widow, Mrs. Jane Ilo, has called on the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sulaiman Balarabe, to come to her aid over the alleged continued detention and torture of her only son, Uchenna Ilo. The victim is a trader, who deals on electronics at Ogbete Market, Enugu. He is being detained by the Anti-kidnapping Unit of the Command for allegedly buying stolen television sets.

The sexagenarian, who has been bedridden for over 10 years, alleged that her son has been in detention for over a month. She stressed that since his detention, her health condition has degenerated the more, as he is the breadwinner of the family since she lost her husband, and has been the one taking care of her and his younger sisters.

Speaking on the incident, a cousin to the suspect, Mr. Nweke Samuel, said that all efforts made to ensure that Uchenna is released on bail proved abortive, as the IPO told him that the complainant is a wealthy man in the market and he is dictating what happens.

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Samuel expressed surprise that Anti-kidnapping Unit that should be investigating a case of alleged stealing of television set, has abandoned his cousin in their cell for over a month without taking him to court or granting him bail.

He said: “My cousin is a trader in Ogbete Market, Enugu. He deals on electronics; that was the trade he learned. A fellow dealer in the market approached him that his brother sent him some goods from abroad, that was last year. He went and bought about eight sets; he has a receipt. After one year, the boy who sold the television to him was arrested by the man he served in the market. They said the man accused him of stealing his goods. He now said that he sold some to my cousin. The Anti-kidnapping Unit invited him; he went there with his receipt. That was last month but they dumped him in their cell for over a month now.

All efforts made to secure his release became futile. He is still in their custody. I called the IPO, he said that my brother is just an innocent buyer, but the complainant is a wealthy man and has instructed that he be kept in the cell. I asked him if the complainant is above the Nigerian Constitution, he said he is only the IPO. The boy who sold the sets to him even exonerated him before the police.”

All calls made to the cell phone of the IPO were not answered. A text message sent to him was also not replied

The reporter, on Thursday, September 12, 2019, also sent a text message to the Police Public Relations Officer, for the Command, SP Ebere Amarizu, who is yet to reply to the message.

Another relation also informed the reporter that after he contacted the IPO, he called them and told them that Uchenna would be taken to court the next day.

He said: “They called us that they would take him to court today, being Friday, September 13, 2019. The IPO latter called again that he had an emergency in Umuahia, Abia State, and would not be going to court again. Uchenna is still there for over a month now.”