Delta Police debunk alleged stab of middle-aged man by policemen, orders discreet investigation

•Says the complainant arrested over an alleged assault on a police officer

By Peters Monday, Abuja

The Delta State police command has debunked claims that police officers stabbed a middle-aged man in Warri.

According to a statement by the state police spokesman, DSP Bright Edafe, the story was not true as reported by a section of the media.

He further said the complainant allegedly stabbed the off-duty Policeman on the head with a yet-to-be-identified object during an altercation, adding that CP Wale Abass had ordered an investigation into the incident.

The statement reads, “The Command is aware of a report making rounds in some sections of the media on the above subject matter. The Command wishes to state that it is not entirely true as it is being reported. However, for the avoidance of doubt and for the public to be well intimated on what truly transpired, the Command wishes to state as follows,

“On 8/7/2023, about 0115 hours, policemen attached to ‘A’ division Warri arrested and brought the said Mr Diwenrenenagha to the police station after an altercation with a police officer who was at that time off duty. The suspect was arrested over an alleged offence of assault occasioning harm where he allegedly used a yet-to-be-identified object to stab the Policeman on his head at a hotel in the barracks opposite the Warri Area Command office at about 0030 hours.

The statement titled, “RE-MAN ALLEGEDLY STABBED BY POLICEMEN IN DELTA BATTLES FOR LIFE, reads, “However, the said Mr Diwenrenenagha who was suspected to be drunk at the time fervently resisted being taken into custody for the alleged offence where he fought with policemen at the Police station during which himself and two other policemen sustained injuries which includes bite from the complainant. The Police took him and the other injured police officer to the hospital.”

Edafe explained that the Commissioner of Police CP Wale Abass psc, on receipt of the complaint from the said Mr Diwenrenenagha that policemen stabbed him, immediately directed the DPO ‘A’ Division Warri to carry out a discreet investigation to ascertain what truly transpired and if indeed the police used any object on the complainant.

The CP who reiterated that it wasn’t in the character of the Command to trample on the rights of citizens, assured members of the public that the officers concerned if found culpable would be decisively dealt with by the extant laws as stipulated in the Police act and regulations to serve as a deterrent to others.