Awka Elders Petition PSC Against RRS, Awkuzu Commander

The trouble of the police Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, Anambra State commander, chief superintendent of police, CSP Ifeanyi Iburu, has doubled as some elders of Eninano community, Awka-South local government area, have petitioned the Police Service Commission (PSC) accusing him of indulging in official misconduct.

Already, the community’s youth leader, Mr. Tochukwu Nwokoye has sued the RRS Awkuzu commander to court accusing him of violating his fundamental right of personal liberty by arresting and detailing him from 10am to 10pm on 4th September, 2024 illegally.

Nwokoye, in the suit marked no. A/MISC/393/2024, he filed in the High Court of Anambra State, Awka Judicial Division, prayed the Court to award him N20m against CSP Iburu.

Again, some elders of the Ezinano community have in a petition they forwarded to the Police Service Commission, dated 11th September, 2024, and addressed to the Commission’s chairman accused CSP Iburu of using his position as RRS Awkuzu commander to aide their neighbouring Umuzuocha community to take over their communal land.

The Ezinano elders including Ozo Ezekwesili, O; Ozo Dennis Okoli, Mr. Chidozie Oforah, Okafor Charles N; Kenneth Igboeze, Chief Alfred Okoli, Monwuba Ejiofo, Ozo Obi Ochije, Okafor Chidozie S; and Obu Nnonyelu in the petition they jointly signed “for themselves and representing the other members of Eninano community, Awka, Anambra state” accused CSP Iburu of “unlawful activities, including unlawful use of firearms, harassment, threat to life, intimidation, and intermeddling with land matters”.

The petitioners urged the Police Service Commission to investigate and take disciplinary action against Supol Iburu Ifeanyi

The petitioners stated that their Ezinano Community and people of Umuzuocha have been embroiled in a land dispute, with the matter currently before the court in Suit No. A/523/2017: Chief I.G. Nwana & 6 Ors. V. Chief ESV George Okwudili & 3 Ors. and Motion on Notice No. A/308M/2020 for interlocutory injunction.

However, they alleged that Supol Iburu has been aiding and abetting the Umuzuocha people in their destruction of the Ezinano Community’s economic crops, fruits, and trees despite the pending court case.

The petitioners claimed that on September 4, 2024, Supol Iburu Ifeanyi and his team stormed the disputed land, shooting sporadically in the air and threatening to shoot members of the Ezinano Community.

They also alleged that the senior police officer assaulted the chairman of their community’s youth group, Mr Tochukwu Nwokoye, arrested him, and took him to their RRS headquarters, formerly SARS, Awkuzu in Oyi local government area, and detained him there for several hours without any justifiable reason.

The petitioners accused Supol Iburu Ifeanyi of providing security to the respondents in the suit, destroying their structures, and chasing away their women with bullets fired from AK 47 guns.

They argued that the RRS commander’s actions were clear violations of the law and an abuse of his power.

The petitioners urged the Police Service Commission to call Supol Iburu to order, ensure he stopped acting ultra vires his powers; caution him over intermeddling with land matters already before the court; investigate the allegations; and take disciplinary action against Supol Iburu Ifeanyi.

When contacted, the public relations officer of the Anambra State Command (PPRO) superintendent of police, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, told LEADERSHIP that he was not aware of any petition against the RRS Awkuzu commander.
He advised the petitioners to approach the state police command with their petition, saying that was the only time the command could entertain the case.