As Nigerians continue to clamour for the end to Police brutality and unprofessional treatment against citizens, here are the photos that capture the torture of the #Ikokwu4 while in police custody.
The four men now known as #Ikokwu4 were arrested by police in Port Harcourt over alleged car theft but released on Wednesday after the Rivers State Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) said they couldn’t prove any criminal case against them.
These men, Victor Ogbonna, Osaze Friday, Ifeanyi Osuji and Ifeanyi Onyekwere are mechanics who were arrested alongside late Chima Ikwunado, on December 19, 2019. They were allegedly tortured in detention to admit that they stole one of the cars they were repairing. The torture led to the death of Chima Ikwunado who was the fifth man.
The owners of the cars, Eradiri Erepamo and Chinedu Ezenwaliri went to the station and told the police that their vehicles were not stolen but given to the arrested men for repair. While Chima died in detention, police arraigned the four men on spurious charges of robbery.
The report of the Rivers State Department of Public Prosecution, DPP, on the #Ikokwu4, was released on Wednesday.
In the report, the DPP ordered the prison authorities to immediately release the four detained men because no criminal case has been established against them.
The State Judiciary Complex premises were filled by members of the Civil Societies Organizations, members of the public, journalists, members of the Ohaneze Indigbo waiting for the release of the four detained men. The popular Ikokwu motor spareparts market was shutdown in solidarity and protest for the release of the men.
There was public outcry over the alleged torturing to death of Chima Ikwunado and detention of his colleagues by officers of the E-Crack unit of the Rivers State Police Command.
