How Policemen From Abuja Forged Detention Warrant To Keep Me In Cell – Lawyer Speaks Up

Francis Echianu, a Port Harcourt-based lawyer, has filed a petition at the Police Service Commission (PSC), against two police officers, ASP Jamiu Olaigbe and Inspector Ati Jonah, for detaining him with a forged court warrant in collaboration with one of his cousins, Chidi Echianu, according to SaharaReporters.

He alleged that the two policemen on the instruction of his cousin, Chidi, who is based in Germany, arrested him, his younger brother, Chijioke, and his 78-year-old father Meshack Echianu, in a Gestapo manner and subjected them to degrading treatments.

He said he was detained for 14 days at the Asokoro Police Station Abuja in December 2020 on trumped up allegations of threat to life which his cousin made through a petition.

He urged the commission to investigate and prosecute the two policemen involved in his arrest and detention.

The petition reads in part "On the 24th day of December 2020 in my village, Umuogbu Durunogbu Osina, in the Ideato North Local Government, Imo State, my cousin Mr. Chidi Ahamefuna Echianu, brought in from Abuja, one ASP Jamiu Olaigbe and Inspector Ati Jonah to arrest me, my father (Chief Meshack) and my junior brother Chijioke Echianu on a frivolous allegation that we threatened his life.

“My cousin Chidi Echianu further instructed ASP Jamiu Olaigbe and Inspector Ati Jonah in my presence to ensure that myself, my father Chief Meshack Echianu and my junior brother Chijioke Echianu were detained in Abuja until we packed out from the family house which my father Chief Meshack Echianu built with his hard earned money.

“On December 24, the said ASP Jamiu Olaigbe and Inspector Ati Jonah carried out the unlawful instruction of Chidi Ahamefuna Echianu and moved me, my father and my junior brother to Abuja where they detained us at the Asokoro Police Station, Abuja, instead of the Force Headquarters, Edet House, Abuja.

“That on the 29th day of December 2020, the said ASP Jamlu Olaigbe and Inspector Ati Jonah under the Instruction of Chidi Echianu went behind and obtained a forged detention warrant purportedly from an Upper Area Court, Karu, Nasarawa State and same was served on me, by Inspector Jonah on December 31, 2020. The copy of the forged detention warrant Is hereby attached to this application for ease of reference.”

He said while he was in detention, a journalist approached the Upper Area Court, New Karu, Nasarawa State, to inquire the source of the purported detention warrant  but was informed by the registrar of the court that the said detention warrant was fake.

“Our counsel, Alozie Nmerengwa, deposed an affidavit of facts at the Abuja High Court to corroborate the aforementioned information as same as information within his personal knowledge and same is attached to this application for ease of reference.

"That my Father Chief Meshack Echianu, my Junior brother Chijioke Echianu and my humble self were detained at Asokoro Police Station for 14 days without being arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction because of the illegal conspiracy between my cousin and the policemen,” he added.