Mr Bonaventure Ezekwenna, a United States veteran has accused the Nigerian police Force of compromise after an alleged cult leader, Mr. Peter Chijioke Okaa, aka Ikonso was granted bail by a Magistrate Court in Nnobi, Anambra State after he was indicted by the Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) for plots and multiple attempts to secretly abduct and assassinate him in Anambra State in 2023.
Chijioke Okaa and some bad police operatives had allegedly plotted to secretly abduct and assassinate Bonaventure Ezekwenna, a business developer during his visit in the State.
NewsBand reported that Chijioke who is known for terrorizing and destabilizing communities in the State was arrested by the Nigeria Police on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, and detained at Zone 13 Ukpo, Anambra State.
He was later granted administrative bail after one week in detention with a date announced for his arraignment.
Sources said Chijioke is well-known in police circles and has a lot of friends in the Force who help him to avoid full weights of the law.
The police on two occasions failed to arraign him but later did on the 28 of June 2024 before a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Nnobi.
Mr Chijioke Okaa who is from Awuda Nnobi in Idemili South local government area of Anambra State to the surprise of key stakeholders, was charged for publishing defamatory content against Mr Bonaventure Ezekwe which runs contrary to the earlier
investigation of Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) which indicted him for plots and multiple attempts to secretly abduct and assassinate.
Other charges preferred against him include threat to the life of the complainant (Mr Bonaventure) and giving false information to police officers at Zone 13 Ukpo.
Meanwhile, during the arraignment of Chijioke Okaa which was monitored by NewsBand Newspaper last week, when the charges were read out to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty.
Counsel to the defendant, C.N Ndife, who noted that the offences brought against her client are bailable, subsequently applied for his bail, which Counsel to the complainant, I.C Udeh, did not oppose.
The court thereafter, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N100,000 and adjourned the case to a later date for continuation.
However, Mr Bonaventure Ezekwenna has expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling of the court, adding that the police appears to have compromised the case.
Speaking exclusively with NewsBand, he said, “This is total disappointment, to say the least. How a petition of plots and multiple attempts to secretly abduct supported by FCID Headquarters investigation, the highest investigative arm of Nigeria Police Force and handed over to Zone 13 Ukpo to prosecute turns out to become mere 3 counts charges of publishing materials to defame, threat and intimidation and false information to police. This is amazing.
“Also mind you that this defendant suspect was granted bail by the same court. So he allegedly committed these offences when he was out on bail. And he was still given bail. It’s really amazing, if you know what I mean.
“The kind of legal gymnastics at Zone 13 Police Command Ukpo that led to drafting such very soft charges at Chief Magistrate Court Nnobi is something that should worry everyone in Nigeria, most especially in Anambra State.”
“I feel very sorry for the average ordinary person in Nigeria and most especially Anambra State, who do not have the resources to pursue justice in a very corrupt system.
He said those of them in diaspora have become target of abduction whenever they return home to invest.
“It’s alarming to me and to many Nigerians living in Diaspora, especially United States, Canada and Europe, that when we attempt to invest in Nigeria and when we are targeted for kidnapping by police officers’ death squad like it happened to me in Anambra State, and when we report such heinous crimes to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the head of Nigerian Police Force; and despite giving the police IPO all the extortions they demanded in order to properly investigate such heinous crimes, the same Nigeria Police Force will at the end proffer such a useless waterdown charges.”
He wondered how a criminal who was indicted for plot to secretly kidnap and assassinate could be let off the hook by the police.
Bonaventure said, “A hardcore criminal standing trial on criminal charges and on bail, plotted with rogue police officers at Zone 13 Police Command Ukpo to secretly kidnap and assassinate me and police is already corruptly trying to let them off the hook, to get away with attempted murder.
“At what point should very corrupt and incompetent police officers who conspire with criminals to commit heinous crimes in Anambra State be held accountable? If Nigeria Police Force don’t want us (Anambra indigene living abroad) to come home and invest, they should call a spade a spade. But these cover-ups must stop. Period!”.
Mr Bonaventure however, told NewsBand that his plans to invest in Anambra State and other states in the Southeast region is currently on hold until leaders in the region network together with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to crackdown on police officers aiding and abetting criminals in the region.
He said, “My plans to invest heavily in Anambra and other states in Igboland, eastern Nigeria are on hold at the moment, until governments of eastern Nigeria decide to network upon the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to crackdown on police officers aiding and abetting criminals in the region. I have abundant intelligence on this topic (certain individuals responsible for insecurity in my hometown Nnobi and surrounding areas; and certain police officers covering up, aiding and abetting their criminal activities), and until the governors of states in Igboland handle this matter, no massive meaningful investment will come to this part of Nigeria. Period!”