Rights lawyer Ogedegbe faults assault on NLC president, seeks prosecution of erring police officers

By Hannah Nathan, Warri

A human rights lawyer, and national president of the Conference For the Actualization of Human Rights, CAHR, has outrightly condemned the attack and assault on the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Imo state.

The rights lawyer, in a statement, urged the Inspector General of Police, IGP to swing into action and arrest and prosecute police officers behind the assault of the NLC president.

According to the Civil Society Don, the Imo Police Commissioner, CP erred and had only demonstrated its lack of knowledge of how the law operates in a democracy as its actions undermined the country’s democratic experience.

He said, “The NLC was to organise a protest in Imo State on the 1st November 2023, only for the NLC President to have been arrested from the venue of the intended protest by police officers.

“The Imo State Police Command at the behest of the governor of the state who has always taken a stance against the protest.

“It is trite that police officers should not be indulged into a dispute of this nature by wrongdoers in a desire to settle their vendetta.

“The justification by the police that the president of the NLC was taken for protective custody is unacceptable as while claiming the NLC President was saved from imminent attack.
The same claim was defeated as none of the supposed thugs were arrested.”

However, the rights lawyer demanded the immediate redeployment of the police commissioner not to put the police force into a mess.

He urged the Nigeria police service commission to withdraw the service of the Imo state Commissioner of Police, describing him as unworthy to head any police administrative formation in Nigeria.