The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) on Monday condemned the last week’s invasion of the offices of ABC Transport Company and the unprovoked brutal attacks on staff of the transport company in Calabar, Cross River State, by policemen.
A video has gone viral showing armed police officers attached to the anti-kidnapping unit of the police viciously attacking staff of ABC transport company along Eta Agbo Street in Calabar, Cross River State on Thursday, 10 November, ignoring pleas and explanations from some staff of the transport company. The Manager and some other staff of the Transport service were said to have been taken away by the police officers and detained at their station.
The attack was said to have been based on a claim by the police invaders that a friend to one of their colleagues had a waybill that the transport company delayed.
In a statement signed by Okechukwu Nwanguna, Executive Director, RULAC said the organization is concerned that the conduct of the police officers amounts to an unjustifiable act of unprovoked aggression and display of raw power.
“The reason for the police action was purely a civil matter that did not warrant or justify police intervention let alone the level of violence unleashed by the officers. Their action was unprofessional and unlawful considering that the Police Act 2020 expressly prohibits police officers dabbling into civil matters such as this.” Said Mr. Nwanguma.
RULAC, therefore, called for the identification and arrest of all the police personnel involved in the act, while investigation and appropriate punishment should follow immediately
