Simon Utebor, Yenagoa
The Civil Liberties Organisation, Bayelsa State chapter, has berated the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on his alleged continued silence over the last week’s killing of seven policemen attached to the Bayelsa State Command.
The seven policemen were reportedly killed by some unidentified operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Ughelli, Delta State.
The organisation alleged that Adamu’s silence and lack of investigation by the police authorities was fueling speculations of a conspiracy in the manner of the killings.
The Chairman, CLO, Bayelsa State, Chief Nengi James-Eriworio, argued that the silence of the IGP and the two police commissioners in Delta and Bayelsa states, gave a strong indication that the police authorities were hiding some things.
James-Eriworio, who spoke to journalists on Tuesday, described the silence of the Nigeria Police on the incident as a sad development to the deceased families and Bayelsa State where they hailed from.
He stated: “Till today, it is sad that the IGP will remain silent over such incident. It is that the police will keep mute over the murder of these policemen.
“We are still wondering how the seven policemen were killed without any survivor with the unidentified Federal SARS not having any casualty. We are suspicious about the incident. It is difficult to accept that they were killed and their rifles left with them.
“We have doubt on the circumstances surrounding the killing of these seven policemen. The CLO is concerned that the death of these policemen cannot be in vain. Whether they are shot dead rightfully or wrongly, there must be an investigation to unravel the real cause of their murder.
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“The CLO is yet to be convinced that something is not fishy. The silence is an attempt to cook up a story to tell their families and members of the public. We are not saying we know what happened, but what we are saying is that these slain policemen have rights until found guilty. Therefore, the incident is questionable.”
The CLO chair compared the killing of the policemen to the incident involving the alleged kidnap kingpin, Bala Hamisu, aka Wadume, saying the organisation never knew what happened until investigation was ordered.
“The incident would have been slept under the carpet if not for the outcry of the public. The two police commissioners should be made to investigate and try those involved in the incident.”
Recall that seven policemen, comprising Sergeants and Corporals, attached to the Bayelsa State Police Command were last week shot dead in Ughelli, Delta State, by some men of the Federal SARS over alleged involvement in armed robbery.
The incident caused uproar among the residents of the two states of Delta and Bayelsa with families of the deceased officers denying the alleged involvement of the killed cops in armed robbery operations.
While some persons claimed they were shot dead by some members of the Federal SARS during alleged arm robbery operations, others claimed they were caught in a heavy gun sale deals which went sour and they were executed.
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