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You are here: > The Issues > Human rights > The story of an illegal arrest in Port Harcourt
A lucky escape - The story of an illegal arrest in Port Harcourt
This man was lucky. His family contacted a local organisation who managed to secure his release quickly and without paying the bail.
On 22 september 2009 at 7:30pm, a 28 year old, who cannot be named for security reasons, was on his way home after a visit to the pharmacy when team of policemen stopped him and told him to raise his hands.
He was asked where he was going and he told them he was going home after buying medicine and showed them the drugs he had bought.
He was then searched and found to have the sum of seven thousand three hundred naira on him (£30). When the money was found he was told to go to the van and see the commander. He was then handcuffed and pushed inside the van with the six others who had been arrested that evening.
The driver of the police van used the nozzle of his gun to hit him on the back because Suny had called a passer-by to inform his family that he has been arrested. He was also prevented from using his medication.
After a night in the cells, the next morning the policemen advised him to use the money found on him to bail himself but he refused insisting that he wait until his family members arrive.
That morning a local Organisation who deals with wrongfull arrests turned up at the police station and forced the police to hand the boy over without paying bail. His family contacted the CLO who managed to secure his release quickly and without paying the bail.
Unfortunately this type of police activity and extortion has become a daily occurrence in this area of Port Harcourt and many who cannot afford to pay the bail or are unaware of their rights are locked up indefinitely.
SDN is working to stop the police from infringing on peoples rights, to expose corrupt police, to educate people about their basic rights and to put an end to illegal arrests, brutality and extortion.
