Drama as police order passersby to remove destitute’s corpse

Date: 08-03-2011 12:38 pm (13 years ago) | Author: Aliuniyi lawal
- at 8-03-2011 12:38 PM (13 years ago)
(m)
A mild drama took place in Port Harcourt when a team of policemen from Mile One Police station ordered passersby to evacuate the corpse of a destitute, who was suspected to have died in the wee hours of Monday.


The policemen, who were informed that a destitute had died in front of a shop at No. 34, Nsukka Street, had earlier visited the place and carried out a mass arrest of innocent pedestrians.


Some of those who refused to comply with the directive to put the corpse into their waiting Hilux vehicle got beaten up and forced to carry out the directive, which was viewed by many as strange.


The destitute, an old man in his late 60s, was said be a regular occupant of a space in the front of the shop and must have died as a result of excessive alcohol intake.


Though about four of the passersby were given a nylon bags to cover their hands before carrying the corpse, the action of the police drew negative reactions from other bystanders.


One of them, who identified himself as Onyewuchi, swore that he wouldn’t have complied with the directive of the policemen if he was one of those coerced to do so.


“The policemen must have been ordered by their superior to remove the corpse there. Why then did they force those passing on the road to carry the corpse?


“Nothing would have made me to touch that corpse, even if they (policemen) threatened to shoot me,” Onyebuchi said.


The policemen later took the corpse away in their vehicle while residents began to speak on the action of the policemen.


A team of policemen from Mile One Police Station had earlier on Monday arrested the State Correspondent of THE PUNCH, Mr. Chukwudi Akasike.


Akasike, who was detained for 40 minutes, was arrested at the front of his office at Nsukka Street with several other passersby.


Trouble started when the corpse of the destitute was found in front of a building on 34, Nsukka Street, Port Harcourt.


The policemen, who were about five in number, had left the corpse and embarked on a mass arrest of passersby, even as those who resisted arrest were forced into their waiting vehicle.


Before dragging Akasike into their vehicle, the policemen seized his mobile phone, office identity card and his tape recorder.


The items were later returned to him at the Mile One Police Station, where he was detained before being released.


As the policemen were taking those arrested to Mile One Police Station, the crowd at the scene booed them to show disenchantment to the action of the security agents.

Posted: at 8-03-2011 12:38 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
- pholake at 9-03-2011 02:08 PM (13 years ago)
(f)
Imagine police stupidity and arrogance! Arresting people for a destitute's death and forcing passers-by to do their job for them....na wa for Naija police
Posted: at 9-03-2011 02:08 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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