Some students of the University of Port Harcourt have accused operatives of the Rivers State Police Command of constantly harassing them, breaking into their rooms and carting away their belongings in the Alakahia community near the campus of the institution.
Some of the students said the policemen, who usually appear like operatives of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, also break into their off campus lodges, arrest them and collect their laptops.
The students, who spoke during a news programme on 92.3 Nigeria Info monitored by our correspondent in Port Harcourt, alleged that the cops sometime come in vehicles plying the UNIPORT routes.
One of them said, “There was a time they came here in the UNIPORT shuttle bus, where we were taking bus on the road. At Treasure Villa (a lodge), they actually broke into the apartments and started harassing the boys and taking their phones.
“We thought it had ended, because for some days we didn’t see them. But they are back again and it is too much.”
Another student said the activities of the policemen constituted a threat to the students, especially younger ones, who carry bags.
The student stated, “What they are doing is threatening the students, especially young boys. When you see them, even if you don’t have anything on you, you will take another route, because they may just do anything.
“These days, even having a crypto wallet can land you in trouble and they will arrest you. They are actually trampling on our rights and freedom. So, we need the government to intervene.”
Another student, who simply gave his name as Victor said, “What they are doing now is very bad. How can they just be barging into people’s rooms and carting away stuffs? We don’t want this to continue.
“If the government can look into this, we will really appreciate it, because we are worried.”
Efforts to get the spokesman for the state police command, Nnamdi Omoni, to comment on the allegations proved abortive as he did not take several calls put acrrossto his mobile phone by our correspondent. He also had not reply a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.
