The Abia State Police Command has arrested and detained a woman, Mrs Benson Azubuike, over a N50,000 debt and 34,000 bail demanded from her before she could be released from detention.
Azubuike, who is the wife of a former police officer, was arrested following a report lodged against her by her creditor at the Okpuala Ngwa Police Division in Isiala Ngwa North LGA.
Sources told Pointblanknews.com that the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) handling the matter insisted that Mrs Azubuike will never be released until she pays the N50, 000 debt. The detained woman was said to have leased some of her properties and paid the N50, 000 debt.
But the IPO also insisted that the woman must pay N30, 000 for bail and N4, 000 for counter before she could be released. The IPO rejected a sum of N10, 000 offered for bail by the children of the detained woman, insisting that the N30, 000 bail money and N4, 000 counter money must be paid in full or the woman will remain in detention.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that the former Police Public Relations Officer, zone 9, Umuahia, SP Emma Jiakponnah, (retired), had pleaded with the IPO to release the woman but the IPO insisted on the payment of the N30,000 bail and N4,000 counter money. It was also gathered that appeals to the Divisional Police Officer of the Isiala Ngwa Police Division to intervene were rejected as she allegedly asked the former zone 9 Police spokesman to sort out the matter with the IPO.
Worried by the unprofessional conduct of the IPO and DPO, Jiakponna drew the attention of the State Commissioner of Police, Mrs Janet Agbede.
According to Jiakponna; “The wife of an ex-police officer, Benson Azubuike who had a challenge while in active service & is totally blind, was arrested yesterday, at Okpuala Ngwa Police Division in Isiala Ngwa North LGA, for owing someone N50,000. The condition given for her release was to pay half of the money which was met after pledging her properties. Yet the woman Investigating Police Officer insisted on her completing the N50, 000 before bail will be granted which made the woman to sleep in the cell. After much struggle and borrowing, the N50, 000 was brought to the Police, but the IPO started asking for N30, 000 bail & N4, 000 counter money before the woman could be released from detention. I mentioned it to the DPO to intervene, but she said that she was travelling to Akwa Ibom, that I should sort it out with the IPO. The children of the blind police officer brought N10,000 for bail but the IPO refused. It is quite unfortunate that some police officers disobey the rules of engagement as bail is said to be free, yet certain actions that can drag the image of the Force are being exhibited by some officers.”
However, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Abia State command, Superintendent Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the Police in the state condemn the unprofessional action of the IPO investigating the matter at the Okpuala Ngwa Police Division.
“The State Command of the Nigeria Police Force in totality condemns, dissociates itself from such unprofessional conducts and wishes to state unequivocally that the said ex-Police officer’s wife was released unconditionally on the order of the Commissioner of Police,” the PPRO.
