The Abia State Police command Uturu division has arrested and detained some officers for allegedly dragging a student, her brother, and one other passenger out of a minibus into the bush to assault and threaten to kill them.
The Complaint Response Unit (CRU) disclosed this in a post on X on Sunday, in response to a viral video showing one of the errant officers asking the Abia State University student why she had three phones and attempting to snatch them from her.
The CRU said, “UPDATE: Alledged officers from #Uturu Division have been identified, disarmed & detained. @abiapolice_NG to release an official statement on the viral video. We say #notoimpunity #policeisyourfriend #wearyournametag @TunjiDisu1 @CspIniedu @tony_placid.”
Narrating her traumatising encounter, which she said happened on Saturday at about 2:31 p.m. along Uturu Road near the university premises, the student said she boarded a minibus to take an item back to her lodge when the officers, without name tags, stopped the vehicle at a checkpoint.
She said the officers ordered her out of the vehicle, after which they collected another passenger’s phone and began aggressively interrogating him about what he did for a living.
She said, “Moments later, one of them turned to me and asked why I was using three phones. I calmly explained to them that I am a student and that the phones were bought with my hard-earned money. Instead of listening, they dragged me, my brother, and another passenger into a nearby bush and started harassing us for absolutely no reason.
“Before we knew what was happening, more officers joined them and they began beating us mercilessly like criminals, even though we were just students who came to ABSU to study and build our future.
“My brother and I sustained serious injuries during the assault. My ear is currently blocked, I can barely hear properly, and it has been bleeding because of the torture we faced in the hands of these officers…my phone screen also got broken.
“The most painful part was the constant threats they made. They said they could shoot us and nothing would happen. They also said they could make sure we never graduate from school. My only “crime” was owning three phones. ABSU students are no longer feeling safe. Police harassment, intimidation, and extortion around Uturu are becoming unbearable. Students are living in fear every day. We came here for education, not to be brutalised and treated like criminals for no reason.”
