Alleged Police Brutality: Chief Mkem Sues SP Idegun
By Prosper Okoye
District Head of Mbabunda Council Ward of Gwer West LGA of Benue State, Chief Richard Mkem has recently brought a direct criminal summons pursuant to section 91 of the state administration of criminal justice law 2019 before the Magistrate Court 1 holding in Makurdi, against a superintendent of police, Boniface Idegun.
The plantiff alledged in his suit file DCR/348/2021, that the defendant who is also the Divisional police officer incharge of Divisional Headquarters, Naka, had assaulted and battered him when he came to the station to enquire of his wife that was arrested.
The case file reads: on the 21st day of December, 2021, the plaintif’s wife who is a health worker with Primary Healthcare Mbaakem, was arrested by police men from the defendant’s Division on an alleged incident of theft of drugs at the health care unit.
Upon hearing about the incident the Chief went to the Divisional police headquarters to find out the cause of the arrest and to Know if the wife had taken her medication along.
At the station, SP Idegun asked him who he was and why he came. Chief Mkem introduced himself as the District head of his community and the Husband of the woman arrested. The defendant became aggressive, and gave him “two hot slaps” in the presence of many people who accompanied him to the station, that it took the intervention of these people to stop him from further assaulting him.
Chief Mkem is aggrieved and prays to the honorable court to charge SP Idegun for assault, contrary to section 265 of the penal code law, laws of Benue State. And, Criminal force contrary to section 264 of the penel code law, laws of Benue State 2004.
