Some young Igbo youths arrested and labeled members of the Indigenous People of Biafra’s Eastern Security Network have been released after police collected N1 million bribe.
Sahara Reporters accused the Inspector-General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja of collecting the bribe.
SaharaReporters learnt from the families of the victims, who did not want their names in print to avoid police victimisation, that they paid the huge sums through their nose before securing the release of their relations.
SaharaReporters gathered that the victims were raided in the South-East and brought to detention at the IGP’S IRT office in Abuja.
“The Investigating Police Officer at the IRT’s team holding them is one Inspector Daniel. They were five in number taken to the IRT office, formerly called Abattoir.
“We paid about N1million to secure (one of the victims). He was released in June by the police in Abuja,” a family member said.
“Another victim, Daberechi Alozie, was freed on Friday night. His guardian, a retired Permanent Secretary in the Imo State civil service, secured his release. He paid a huge sum too,” a source added.
SaharaReporters learnt that the fourth victim, Chinonso John, a barber, was also released after the police in Abuja collected N1.5million.
A family source said, “Our elder brother, Emma, went to Abuja and met the IPO last week to bargain with the IPO. He was told to go and look for N1.5million and after pleading, the IPO reduced it to N1.3million. The guy pleaded again to pay N1million but the IPO refused.
“So he came back to look for the money, including borrowing. He met with the IPO on Thursday, On Friday morning, the money was withdrawn in cash. It has been taken to the IPO.”
SaharaReporters learnt that another victim at the police IRT was Chukwudi Okoro, a Shuttle Bus owner whose wife is heavily pregnant.
“By the end of today, he is likely to be left there as the only person remaining among the five because he can’t afford the N1million bribe. I just got information that the IPO has collected truly collected N1million and released Chinonso John. Unfortunately, there are many IPOs at the police team milking the innocent victims. They have turned them to cash cows. The police authorities know very well about this mess,” the source added.
SaharaReporters had on June 14 reported that one Casmir Ibegbulem, an oil worker who was arrested and detained, also was taken to Abuja and N10million was demanded as his bail.
Ibegbulem, who was labelled and paraded as an ESN member, had done an audio confession, saying he had returned to Imo State for the burial of his in-law, which was to take place on May 28 but was raided in Owerri on May 25 when he came to pick up some personal items needed for the burial.
He had been whisked away to Abuja and later paid N1.5million before his release from custody.