The Imo State Police Command has detained four security personnel over what it described as unprofessional conduct during the arrest of a suspect at Human Race Road, Nekede.
The officers were identified as two police officers attached to the Nekede Divisional Headquarters and two Supernumerary Police Officers.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Bosso, ordered their immediate detention after reviewing the circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to the statement, preliminary investigations revealed that the officers were conducting an operation at a location suspected to be a drug trafficking hub along Human Race Road on Sunday, during which two suspects were arrested.
The police said substances suspected to be Cannabis Sativa were recovered from one of the suspects, who allegedly admitted to selling illicit drugs in the area.
Despite the outcome of the operation, the Command condemned the manner in which one of the suspects was arrested and forced into the boot of a vehicle, describing the officers’ actions as unacceptable, inhumane and inconsistent with the Nigeria Police Force’s Standard Operating Procedures, Code of Conduct and professional ethics.
“The manner in which one of the suspects was arrested and forced into the boot of a vehicle is unacceptable, inhumane, and completely not in conformity with the Standard Operating Procedures, Code of Conduct, and professional ethics of the Nigeria Police Force,” the statement read.
The Commissioner of Police has referred the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a comprehensive and impartial investigation, while disciplinary proceedings have commenced against the four officers.
The Command said the outcome of the investigation would be made public upon its conclusion.
It also reaffirmed its commitment to combating crime while ensuring that policing operations are carried out professionally, lawfully and with respect for the rights and dignity of all citizens.