UPDATED: Police Kill Seven Alleged Kidnappers In Akwa Ibom-(Graphic Photos Included)
Posted: October 27, 2011 - 17:10

By SaharaReporters, New York

Policemen in the Eket Division in Akwa Ibom State today shot and killed seven kidnap suspects in circumstances that remain unclear, according to our sources.

Investigations by SaharaReporters indicate that the suspected kidnappers were executed by the police in cold blood, raising concerns about the legal powers of the police to act as investigators, prosecutors, judges and implementers of judgments.

Our correspondent reports that thousands of residents in  Eket metropolis thronged the police station to catch a glimpse of the remains of the suspects whose bodies were displayed in the premises.

Policemen at the station were having a tough time controlling the large crowd that converged on the station, creating a chaotic situation.

Members of the public who could not gain access to the station took up all available spaces in the neighborhood to gaze at the lifeless bodies left in a pool of blood.

Two police sources in Eket confirmed the incident, and said that the men died in a routine operation against kidnappers.

But a police informant told our correspondent that, contrary to the official police version, the suspects were assembled from different locations and executed in Eket Police Division.

“It is shocking and cruel that the police would execute people without properly handing them over for prosecution, and then create a mindless exhibition of their bodies,” said a human rights lawyer in Akwa Ibom. He added that, unless citizens recognized the dangers of such jungle justice, the police could easily kill innocent people by tagging them kidnappers.

SaharaReporters could not reach Onyeka Orji, the police spokesman in Akwa Ibom, for comments. We made several calls to his cell phone, but he never responded.

The Eket area has been plagued by kidnap and robbery activities in recent times. Over the weekend, a security team freed two captains of vessels at the Qua Iboe oil fields.

Our correspondent spoke to numerous members of the public who came out to view the bodies of the alleged kidnappers. Some of the witnesses applauded the police for smashing the kidnap syndicate which had terrorized the area, but others condemned the act of executing suspected criminals and lying that they died in a cross-fire. “The state should have prosecuted them since the law recommends death sentence for kidnapping,” said one of the witnesses.

Another witness, a local teacher, said: “No matter how noble the objectives were, killing people in cold blood on mere suspicion amounts to abuse of powers. Since they were caught alive, they should have been made to face the law.”

Rhino.5dm:

Nigaria is now a gangsta's paradise. As the days goes by, news continue to filter in about the brutality and extra judicial killings visited on innocent Nigerians by horrible Nigerian police. From a close ranged shot in Beyalse to classical murder of an innocent man in Anambra and now extermination in Akwa Ibom.

When mediocrity is allowed to pilot the affars at center statge and thugs are free to slaughter at will then, the the whole country is about to crash. They way the police treats people in each of  their money making check points is very baffling.

How do expect the police to be anything different? When retarrdeen went against due process and competency to appoint Hafiz Ringim, a man that is widely celebrated as the most corrupt and less qualified IG in the history of Nigeran police.

Let me quickly say here, that 9 most senior and qualfied officers with penchant zeal and capability to totally transformed the police were retired by Jonathan odechukwu, to paved way for this clown.

Thesame idiota that couldn't manage a mere zone is handed the whole Nigerian police. A guy that still maintains SSCE as his highest acceptable qualification, forget about that "Toronto" diploma A guy that helped GEJ to ouster Alamiasiegha in a Gestapo manner with backing of OBJ in Bayelsa.

This is fresh air,indeed.

P.s. But why do you think this nonsense is always in the south? Or meted on sotherners?. , because the northerners are wise and CAN never allow policie to kill their people without  retaliating with grave conseqency.we shout in the south about civiliazation, educ tion and we are treated like animals while the northern illiterates are more orderly and respected. What shame.

Akanbi_edu:

I remember Boko haram issue started when some of them were killed by the police.

ekt_bear:

Jungle justice. Worse, done by the police, who in theory represent law and order.

Life is cheap in Nigeria, but justice costly

Spyker:

One Israeli is worth 1,000 Palestinians, imagine if these 7 men were Israelis, that means that they just killed 7,000 Palestinians.
Human life is worth nothing in Nigeria that's way people are killed (even innocently) and nothing happens.

Naija, we hail thee, blood means nothing.

@Topic, if these men were really kidnappers, i would certainly scream "good riddance to bad rubbish". Enough of this kidnapping stuff, [b]capital punishment [/b]is the key to eliminate these non-repentant criminals.

Rhino.5dm:

Nigaria is now a gangsta's paradise. As the days goes by, news continue to filter in about the brutality and extra judicial killings visited on innocent Nigerians by horrible Nigerian police. From a close ranged shot in Beyalse to classical murder of an innocent man in Anambra and now extermination in Akwa Ibom.

When mediocrity is allowed to pilot the affars at center statge and thugs are free to slaughter at will then, the the whole country is about to crash. They way the police treats people in each of  their money making check points is very baffling.

How do expect the police to be anything different? When retarrdeen went against due process and competency to appoint Hafiz Ringim, a man that is widely celebrated as the most corrupt and less qualified IG in the history of Nigeran police.

Let me quickly say here, that 9 most senior and qualfied officers with penchant zeal and capability to totally transformed the police were retired by Jonathan odechukwu, to paved way for this clown.

Thesame idiota that couldn't manage a mere zone is handed the whole Nigerian police. A guy that still maintains SSCE as his highest acceptable qualification, forget about that "Toronto" diploma A guy that helped GEJ to ouster Alamiasiegha in a Gestapo manner with backing of OBJ in Bayelsa.

This is fresh air,indeed.

P.s. But why do you think this nonsense is always in the south? Or meted on sotherners?. , because the northerners are wise and CAN never allow policie to kill their people without  retaliating with grave conseqency.we shout in the south about civiliazation, educ tion and we are treated like animals while the northern illiterates are more orderly and respected. What shame.

muyoto:

what if they were kidnappers?

while you loudmouths cringe in your affected revulsion, take a minute or two to appreciate the horrors these guys have been unleashing on hapless citizens, then perhaps you'll see that your (fake)anger is in need of redirection.

as for me:

karma, pure and unadulterated  

Rhea:

Seven less idiots to worry about.