BENIN CITY – The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase has been urged to wade into the case of unjust manipulation and torture of innocent Nigerians in Benin City by the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
In an appeal letter to the Inspector-General of Police, dated June 12, 2015, Legal Practitioner and Notary public, F.O. Osadolor, Esq, Solicitors to Messrs Seyi Erhengbo; Igbinomwanhia Best; Abayomi Ajayi; Uwigbe Ebegho and Pletra Emosivbe of Erhengbo Okomo Services Nig. Ltd noted that the men of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad had abused their police powers.
According to him, the pathetic case of his client is a clear manifestation of how some police officers could abuse their powers and foist the height of injustice on innocent Nigerians.
He said that his clients were poor workers with Erhengbo Okomo Security Services Nig. Ltd who went to their place of work at Oliha Market to resume duty on the 15th of May 2015 as workers of the security company only to be arrested at about 6.15 a.m. the next day following false allegations by the former Chief Security officer of Oliha Market, Benin City.
“It is pertinent to inform that as a law abiding entity, Erhugbo Okomu Security Service Nig. Ltd informed and invited the police to witness the peaceful assumption of duty as aforesaid.
“It is on record that police officers from the neighbouring police stations, viz Textile Mill Police Station; Evbotubu Police Station; Oba Market Police Station and Police Officers from the State Anti-Robbery Squad, witnessed the peaceful assumption of duty by our clients.
“It is our instructions that our clients worked peacefully in the market without any breakdown of law and order.
… to our clients utter dismay and chagrin at about 6.15a.m. on the 16th of May 2015, the former chief security officer to Oliha Market, Mr. Frank Ogundezi whose appointment was terminated by the authority of Oredo Local Government Council, invited police officers from the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, on special duty to Edo State, to arrest our clients while on their legitimate duty at Oliha Market”, the legal practitioner stated.
He further averred that “the orchestrated investigation was so arranged that the Federal SARS would tie our clients and throw them at the back of their Hilux Van”, and drive them to Mr. Frank Ogundezi’s house”.
He also averred that the officers had been manipulated to the extent that other members of the Erhengbo family were persecuted, saying “SARS embarked on such mission to the houses of Mrs Queen Aikoriogie and Warrinan Erhengbo on the 22nd of May, 2015”.
Besides, he claimed that Mr. Ogundezi had boasted that his clients would not be released by the Federal SARS until the authority of the Oredo Local Government Council reappointed him as the Chief Security Officer to Oliha Market; Benin City.
On the face of new allegations against his clients, he described the allegations (possession of cut to size gun) as after thoughts introduced by the Federal SARS, contending that the real issue “is who takes charge of security in Oliha Market between Erhengbo Okomo Security and Mr. Frank Ogundezi?
He therefore appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to see the arrest and prosecution of his clients as a set up over who controls the Oliha Market irrespective of the decision of any constituted authority.

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