Innocent Maikaho, a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Anaocha branch and a lawyer representing the Scrap Dealers Association of Nigeria, has alleged that he was brutally beaten by police officers, led by the Area Commander A.C.P. Kingdom Aka Otuonye, at the Awka Area Command on Friday, November 8, 2024.
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Maikaho stated that he had previously been contacted by a police officer attached to Zone-13 Ukpo, one A.S.P. Emma, to write a petition on behalf of a truck owner against the truck driver for negligence and recklessness. However, the owner later declined to pursue the case, stating that he could not recover what he had already lost, even though the driver had been arrested.
Barely two months later, as the solicitor for the Scrap Dealers Association of Nigeria, Maikahoâs attention was drawn by one of the executives regarding a transaction over the truckâs sale. The executive advised one of the association’s members, a prospective buyer of the truck, to consult their solicitor and inform the police to avoid trouble. Maikaho was subsequently invited to the police headquarters in Awka on Monday, November 4, 2024, to have a brief discussion with a senior police officer.
At the police headquarters, specifically in the office of the Admin Officer (A.O.), the A.O. had already dispatched a junior officer, Inspector Morrison, to accompany the prospective buyer to inspect the truck located at the Enugu-Onitsha expressway. Upon reaching the site, the individual claiming to be a government agent expressed displeasure at the involvement of a police officer in the transaction. When the officer returned to the police headquarters and narrated the events, Maikaho inquired about the truck in question and was informed that it was the truck that had derailed and burned on the Nawfia axis of the expressway.
Recalling his earlier involvement, Maikaho informed the A.O., C.S.P. A.Y. Doma, who then contacted A.S.P. Emma in Zone-13 Ukpo. Emma provided the contact of the truck’s actual owner, Sunny Best, who confirmed that unauthorized individuals were negotiating the truckâs sale without his consent. Surprised by the revelations, Maikaho began negotiations on behalf of the Scrap Dealers Association. Both parties agreed on a sale price of âŚ7,000,000, and the owner provided his account details and truck particulars for the preparation of a memorandum of understanding (M.O.U.). However, some issues needed resolution before finalizing the transaction.
On Thursday, November 7, 2024, while returning from court in Enugu, Maikaho received multiple missed calls from the truck owner and A.S.P. Emma. Upon returning the calls, he learned that unauthorized activities were ongoing at the truckâs location. Despite the ownerâs request for assistance, Maikaho was unable to intervene immediately. The owner had no option but to wait until the next morning.
On Friday, November 8, 2024, the truck owner informed Maikaho that work had resumed at the site, with police officers present. When Maikaho arrived at the scene, he discovered that individuals allegedly acting on a government directive were dismantling the truck without the ownerâs consent. Presenting himself as the ownerâs legal representative, Maikaho attempted to intervene but was rebuffed and summoned to the office of A.C.P. Kingdom Aka Otuonye.
In the Area Commander’s office, Maikaho introduced himself and explained his presence. The government agent also presented a letterhead document from the “Anambra Urban Re-Generation Council,” claiming the state government had authorized the removal of vehicles obstructing highways. When Maikaho requested a copy of the document to verify the agencyâs authority, A.C.P. Otuonye ordered him to return it and instructed the agent to proceed with the work.
Maikaho insisted that the police withdraw from the matter, as the truckâs owner was in Awka and had obtained a police extract from Nimo Police Station to remove the vehicle. This prompted an aggressive response. Maikaho alleges that A.C.P. Otuonye physically assaulted him in the office, slapping and kicking him. When Maikaho fled to the station’s canteen shouting for help, the assault escalated, with other officers joining in, dragging him to the ground and beating him.
After the assault, Maikaho was thrown out of the station, where armed officers continued to beat him in public before dragging him back into the station and detaining him from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. A bystander captured the brutality on video, but the Station Officer (S.O.) allegedly detained the individual, forcing her to delete the footage under threat.
Maikaho identified the following officers involved:
- A.C.P. Kingdom Aka Otuonye (Area Commander)
- Inspector Eze Ogochukwu
- Constable Orjiakor
- An unidentified officer known as Malachi
Maikaho sustained significant injuries and sought medical treatment at Amaku Teaching Hospital, Awka.
The NBA Anaocha Branch has been alerted, with prominent legal advocate A.G. Ogbachalu Esq. urging the branchâs Human Rights Committee to:
- Petition the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Zone-13 and the Police Service Commission.
- Advocate for a fiat from the Attorney Generalâs office to allow direct criminal prosecution of the officers involved.
This incident highlights concerns about police brutality and the safety of legal practitioners in Nigeria. The Anambra State Police Command has not yet commented on the allegations. Efforts to reach them were unsuccessful.
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