The police said they are investigating a divisional police officer (DPO) in Imo State over failure to report a rape case to the police headquarters in the state.
Police officers working under the DPO are also being investigated for the same case.
The Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a post on his X handle (formerly known as Twitter) on Tuesday.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how three men allegedly gang-raped a 20-year-old woman in Owerri, Imo State, between 18 and 19 November.
Mr Adejobi, an assistant commissioner of police, said the affected DPO is in charge of Orji Police Division in Owerri, where the rape case was reported.
“The DPO and his officers involved have been subjected to investigation.
“Necessary action would be taken in the case, while those to be sanctioned would be adequately sanctioned,” Mr Adejobi said.
The force spokesperson did not, however, mention the DPO’s name and those of the other officers.
He said the commissioner of police in Imo State has been on the case and had wanted to take “some actions” on Tuesday but was distracted by the killing of two police officers in the state.
“It was just yesterday that we were aware that the Division had been handling the case. This is unprofessional and unacceptable,” he said.
“It’s strange to us as well that the DPO did not even inform the state command of the case,” Mr Adejobi added.
The force spokesperson explained that cases such as rape, armed robbery and murder, are not handled at police divisions but at State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) or at the Force CID.
‘Justice will be served’
Mr Adejobi vowed that justice will be served in the rape case.
The spokesperson said no “reasonable officer or institution will support or cover” such a case.
“We are on it, and we maintain that justice will be served,” he assured.
‘It’s shameful’
Meanwhile, the police spokesperson in Imo State, Henry Okoye, has described as “shameful” the reported escape of one of the suspects from the Orji Police Division.
Mr Okoye, an assistant superintendent of police, was reacting to a claim by an X user (@PIDOMNIGERIA) that the suspect, identified as Ihee Andrew, escaped from the detaining facility of the Orji Police Division.
“It’s shameful and totally unacceptable that DPO Orji and his men will allow Ihee Andrew ‘m’ (to escape),” the police spokesperson wrote on his X handle on Tuesday in response to the claim.
He said the case has been transferred from Orji Divisional Headquarters to the Gender Department of the State CID.
“This case can never be swept under the carpet,” Mr Okoye also assured.(Premium Times)
