Policemen did not attack 98-year-old woman with AK-47 in Anambra ― Command

The Anambra State Police command has dismissed media reports that policemen assaulted a 98-year-old woman with AK-47 in Achina, Aguata local government area of the state.

The state police spokesman, Haruna Muhammed in a statement on Tuesday in Awka, the state capital said the publication was false and mischievous, with the intention to paint police black.

He said the Commissioner of Police had on Monday, August 19th received a formal complaint from a legal practitioner that his client one Esther Nzekwe was assaulted by her fiancee one Emeka Okpalaku and that the man also confiscated her credentials including her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) call-up letter in order to prevent her from reporting to NYSC camp which dateline closes on Tuesday 20th.

He also stated that the complainant further alleged that the suspect was planning to travel back to Japan where he resides.

Mohammed said following the petition, the Commissioner of Police CP John Bassey Abang ordered for a full-scale investigation into the matter.

“Police detectives visited the house to invite the suspect but as soon as he sighted the Police, he quickly ran inside the house and locked all the entrances.

“All efforts by the Police to prevail on the suspect to open the doors proved abortive until the police used the power of ingress in accordance with section 7(1&2) CPA laws of the Federation to gain access into the house but the suspect eventually escaped.

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“Consequently, the Police equally rescued a one-year-old daughter of the complainant who was equally locked inside the house and left crying without care.

“Till date, the suspect is still on the run and has not returned the credentials he forcefully collected from the lady while the investigation is still ongoing.

“The Command is wondering why the very person who allegedly assaulted a woman and deprived her from participating in the National Youth Service will be the very person spreading the falsehood that police assaulted a 98-year-old woman using AK-47 rifle which was totally false and unfounded.

“In view of the foregoing, the police enjoined the public to ignore such publications which are aimed at raising a false alarm and casting aspersions against the Force in order to divert attention from the real facts in issue,” Mohammed said.