Some officials of Rivers State Waste Management Agency(RIWAMA) led by one Jack has been accused of arresting three motor mechanics opposite Zilly Agreey street at Chinda,Mile 4, PortHarcourt for undisclosed offence and extorted twenty thousand naira from the trio on Monday 24th October,2022.
Speaking with our reporter after their release,after spending six hours in the cell of RIWAMA without there offence disclosed to them, Sunday Akarabara one of the mechanic said “that was nine o clock I saw some environmental motor entering my shop so I thought they wanted to turn because there was space there then they called me that I should come that I should enter motor and discuss with oga and I asked what do I want to discuss with Oga .
“They said enter motor first,then I entered the vehicle,Oga told me to sit down .I sat down,I called my colleagues to come because I cannot sit alone in that motor.My colleagues came,we now turned three, they now closed the motor door .
“They carried me and my colleagues to environmental at Mile 3 close to Agip flyover .As we got there,they pushed me direct to cell and asked what is my offence.They said we should remain there first.I called my brothers when I stayed till three o clock without knowing my offence .They told my brother that money for our bail is 20,000 naira .
“My brother transferred the money to Mr Jack the 20,000 naira before we were released.The people who arrested us did not enter our names in the register before throwing us into cell neither did they tell us our offence .I even begged them to allow me lock the vehicle I was repairing that somebody’s money is there .I am not a road side mechanic .Is not road side I am working”.
Our correspondent who saw the transfer details, reports that 10,000 naira was transferred twice to an account holder Jack who is said to be the RIWAMA official.
Reacting to the incident,the National Legal Adviser of Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign,Joel Victor Esq in an interview with Journalists said ” the law frowns at such behaviour . It is totally disregarded the action of officials of RIWAMA.That is because you cannot arrest somebody without telling the person the alleged offence that they committed rather detaining the person and in unscrupulous manner going forward to receive money from the person in form of bank transfers
“These are things the law frowns at.We want to call on the relevant Authority to get the persons arrested and let the law take it course.
“We are not bereft of what to do.We given time a stipulated time for them to do the needful.If at the expiration of that time they fail to do the needful ,then we do what we know is within the bounds of the law and let the law take it course”.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson of RIWAMA Olalekan Ige was not successful.