Police Kill Seven Alleged Kidnappers In Akwa Ibom-(Graphic Photos Included)

Kidnap suspects bodies on display in Eket

Seven kidnap suspects in circumstances that remain unclear have been shot dead by Policemen in the Eket Division in Akwa Ibom State. Investigations by SaharaReporters indicate that the suspected kidnappers were executed by the police in cold blood, raising concerns about the legal powers of the police to act as investigators, prosecutors, judges and implementers of judgments. So many people thronged the police station to catch a glimpse of the remains of the suspects whose bodies were displayed in the premises and the Policemen at the station had a tough time controlling the large crowd that converged on the station, creating a chaotic situation.
Two police sources in Eket confirmed the incident, and said that the men died in a routine operation against kidnappers. But a police informant told our correspondent that, contrary to the official police version, the suspects were assembled from different locations and executed in Eket Police Division.
“It is shocking and cruel that the police would execute people without properly handing them over for prosecution, and then create a mindless exhibition of their bodies,” said a human rights lawyer in Akwa Ibom. He added that, unless citizens recognized the dangers of such jungle justice, the police could easily kill innocent people by tagging them kidnappers.
Another witness, a local teacher, said: “No matter how noble the objectives were, killing people in cold blood on mere suspicion amounts to abuse of powers. Since they were caught alive, they should have been made to face the law.”

Source: Sahara Reporters