The Delta State chapter of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has condemned illegal arrests by the police in Udu Local Government Area after the protests on Wednesday by some misguided persons over the naira swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The CDHR commended the Delta State Police Command especially men and officers of the Ovwian/Aladja Police Division and the Area Command for rising up to the occasion and bringing the situation under control with arrests of some persons found to be involved in the violence.

But the CDHR equally condemned the indiscriminate and unlawful arrests and detention of innocent citizens, young and old men and women, under the pretext of quelling further protests and destruction of property as the area has remained very calm and peaceful with people going out for their normal business of life unmolested.

In a statement by the Chairman of Delta State CDHR, Chief Peter A. Edariese, he said : ” I can say without equivocation that there was never any attempt anywhere in Udu both yesterday and today to protest and cause further damage to property that warrants the raid and arrests made yesterday and this morning after the raids and arrests of 15th February, 2023, as our officers were on ground at every hot spot in the area to monitor the movements of persons and their behaviours to forestall any further protest and destruction of property as happened this morning, 17th February, 2023.

“This morning, I as the State Chairman of CDHR, deployed our officers to different hot spots in Udu such as Express Junction, Orhuwhorun Junction Roundabout and Newyork/Udu Market area when Police Officers from Ovwian/Aladja Police Division. Looking intoxicated with passion to arrest and detain Nigerians to extort money in the name of bail, drove into the streets of Udu with four patrol vehicles. They were led by the DCO 1 of Ovwian/Aladja Police Division, and they swooped on citizens who were going about their normal business of life, with some going for the burials of their loved ones and others to parties and markets etc and began to beat them up and throw them like bags of onions into their vehicles and drove them away to their station to be locked up in their cells and subjected to heavy extortions in the name of bail which is supposed to be free.

” The police enrich themselves at the expense of these traumatized citizens who have nothing left in their hands to put food on their tables for themselves and their families each day since the naira exchange began.

“The leader of the Police Team who is the DCO1 in Ovwian)Aladja Police Division even saw our officials who spent most time with the DPO Ovwian), Aladja and himself in an effort to get the release of an elderly, sick and deaf woman who was arrested yesterday in their illegal raids.

“We, in CDHR, Delta State Chapter will not support any act of oppression and illegality to the citizenry from any quarter no matter how highly placed and are prepared to fight such infractions wherever they come from and are hereby calling on the Honourable Commissioner of Police, (CP), Delta State,Ali Mohammed Ari, to intervene in this situation by calling the DPO, Ovwian/Aladja and his men and collaborators to order to stop the present onslaught and provide peace to the law-abiding residents in Udu Local Government Area.”