Five more residents of Imo State who were wrongly arrested and paraded by the State Police Command have reportedly been released from custody.
This follows the release of Ibe Casmir Ibegbulem, an oil worker who was one of those wrongly arrested and falsely labelled as unknown gunmen terrorising the state.
According to Sahara Reporters, sources said that five others were also on Thursday night released after the report.
They were released on Thursday night from the Imo State Police Headquarters. The five newly freed citizens are Smith Amadikwa, Casmir Ugbor, Ojukwu Ukonu, Emeka Mbonu and Engineer Ikechukwu Okomah.
They were wrongly arrested between May 12 and 19 and labelled as ‘ESN (Eastern Security Network) hoodlums that attacked Imo State Correctional/Prisons Headquarters and others,” one of the sources said.
Recall that Igbegbulam was the first to be reported released on Thursday, May 3, 2021.
Human rights activist, Gwanshu Harrison, confirmed that the state police command had released Ibegbulem after the outcry by the media and pressure from civil society groups.
“Ibegbulem, who was arrested by Imo State Police Command as one of the #UGM (Unknown Gunmen), has been released. He was transferred to Force Headquarters, Abuja two days after our online protest. Currently, I don’t know the whereabouts of others in this picture. Thanks to @PoliceNG_CRU,” he tweeted.
