By Chizoba Njaka
The call for the prosecution of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) over a viral video involving court bailiffs and police operatives during an alleged enforcement of a court order has been described as premature and unfair until the circumstances surrounding the incident are fully established.
The position was contained in a statement issued to journalists in Awka on October 8 by the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who stressed the need for a balanced assessment of the incident.
SP Ikenga said while allegations of misconduct against police personnel should be properly investigated, the actions of the court bailiffs and other persons involved before and during the encounter should equally be examined to establish what actually transpired.
He noted that a short video clip showing only part of an incident could not, on its own, provide the complete circumstances surrounding the confrontation. According to him, the events preceding the recording, the conduct of those present and the reasons for the police intervention are important in determining responsibility.
The police said the operatives were reportedly responding to a distress situation involving a rowdy scene within the jurisdiction of the division. It therefore stressed that the circumstances that prompted the intervention should be considered alongside the events captured in the viral footage.
The command maintained that a transparent and impartial investigation remained the appropriate approach to establish the sequence of events, assess the conduct of all parties and determine whether any person breached the law or professional standards.
The statement further noted that the Anambra State Police Command, under the leadership of CP Nnanna Oji Ama, had demonstrated its readiness to address allegations of unprofessional conduct by its personnel, including recently querying a DPO over the alleged unprofessional actions of officers under his command.
It stressed that the command does not support misconduct, abuse of power or unprofessional behaviour by its personnel, but maintained that accountability must be based on facts and evidence rather than a one-sided narrative or a video that may not capture the events leading to the confrontation.
The command therefore called for the actions and conduct of all parties involved to be carefully examined, particularly what occurred before the court bailiffs began recording the video. It said a balanced, impartial and fact-based investigation would ensure that anyone found to have acted unlawfully or unprofessionally is held accountable, while those who acted within the law are not subjected to unfair prosecution based on an incomplete account.
Chizoba Njaka is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
#Ministryofinformationandvaluareformation
#Informationiskey
#Solutionishere
- News & Media
- Citizen Engagement
- Projects
- Grievance Redress
- Contact Us
