Threat to Life: Police Wants Me Dead By December – Gwamnishu

…He is Lying – CSP Eyoh

An Asaba-based human rights activist and founder of Behind Bars Rights Foundation, Mr. Harrison Gwamnishu has accused the Police in Delta State of threatening to eliminate him before the end of December, this year.

Gwamnishu is raising the alarm over threat to his life after the police alleged that he led thugs to invade the ‘C’ Divisional Police Station, Asaba where the Divisional Police Officer, Anietie Eyoh and another officer were allegedly assaulted while the office of the DPO was vandalised.

Gwamnishu who denied invading the station to attack officers, told journalists in Asaba that CSP Eyoh has allegedly vowed to kill him “for depriving him from eating from his hard work after building a Police station in Warri, Delta State.”

He therefore called on concerned Nigerians, President Muhammadu Buhari, the Inspector General of Police, the National Human Rights Commission, Delta State Governor and the state Commissioner for Justice to cause an investigation into the activities of CSP Eyoh who he accused of carrying out illegal arrests after which he allegedly demands huge sums of money for bail.

“I have not slept in my house since that threat was issued. I am no longer safe as they keep piling up allegations against me. A cultist was killed the other day at Cable Point Area, and the DPO linked him to me which means I am no longer safe,” he stated.

But in a swift reaction, CSP Eyoh said he never issued any threat to Gwamnishu, who he insisted, is a hoodlum that “is running away from his own shadow. I am a police officer and my duty is to protect lives which I have been doing. There is nothing like threat to life, he is lying.”

On the alleged invasion and assault on officers, Gwamnishu said he had gone to the Police station in company of three of his members to secure the release of a young man who was detained after he was picked up during a raid by the Police.

Gwamnishu said it was the standard practice by his organisation to verify such claims of unlawful arrest and detention by going to the police to hear their own side of the story, alleging however that on this occasion, the officers allegedly demanded for N1 million as bail to secure the release of the young man.

He recalled that it was the same CSP Eyoh whom they had petitioned over alleged torture and murder of a 17-year old boy in police custody in Warri where Eyoh had earlier served as DPO.

“The DPO, CSP Eyoh told me that after writing petition against him that led to his transfer to Asaba, I still have the effrontery to walk into his division to facilitate the release of a suspect. The DCO rushed at me, held me and slapped me. The DPO stood up and they started beating me.

“My two colleagues with me couldn’t watch them brutalise me the more, tried to separate us and they left me and started beating them. CSP Eyoh raised alarm and other officers joined and they sprayed us tear gas, stripped us naked and detained us,” he alleged.