A civil society group, the Rivers Coalition for Human Rights (RCHR) has petioned the Police Services Commission, alleging that police officers attached to the Special Operations and Intelligence Team of the Rivers State Police Command, based at the Mile 1 Police Division, Diobu, Port Harcourt received a bribe of 30 Million Naira to suppress evidence and sabotage investigations into a murder case in Oshigbokor Community, in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers state.
The group in the petition signed by Derefaka Green (Coordinator), Ndamxhi Amadi (Asst.Sec) and Hannah Nikade (Research Officer) disclosed that the Commander of the unit Supol Alex and his Deputy Supol Esor Johnson deliberately bungled the investigation into the murder of Chief Elysian John and Savior Ajikwara after receiving huge bribes from the suspects, Moji Sampson and Emeka Sampson.
The group in the petition which was copied to the Inspector General of Police and Rivers State Commissioner of Police, disclosed that the police officers at SOIT, were based in favour of the suspects and harassed and threatened community people who wanted to volunteer evidence and statements in the matter.
The group also queried in the petition, why For inexplicable reasons, a notorious cultist, Junior Prince Nsirim, A.K A. General Junior, who abducted and killed the two murder victims was not arrested and also why Alhaji Buba Umaru, the financier of the crime was also not arrested.
THE FULL STATEMENT IS REPRODUCED BELOW:
Rivers Coalition for Human Rights (RCHR)
28 Pipeline Road, Elelenwo Port Harcourt, Rivers State
Email: riverscoalition705@gmail.com
The Chairman
Police Services Commission
Plot 64:Cadastral Zone B16
Sector Centre B,
Jabi, Abuja, Nigeria.
Sir,
Petition on the suppression of evidence and delibrate bungling of murder investigation by Officers of the Special Operations and Intelligence Team (SOIT), Rivers State Police Command.
We write to bring to your notice the unwholesome activities bordering on suppression of evidence and delibrate bungling of investigations into the murder of Chief Elysian John and Saviour Ajikwara, by SP Alex (08038535925), SP Esor Johnson, Commander and 2/iC, respectively of the Special Operations and Intelligence Team (SOIT) of the Rivers State Police Command, based at the Mile One Police Station, Diobu, Port Harcourt.
Based on an earlier petition by the Rivers Coalition for Human Rights (RCHR), The Rivers State Police Command arrested Mr. Moji Sampson and Emeka Sampson, who were the alleged masterminds of the murder. For inexplicable reasons, a notorious cultist, Junior Prince Nsirim, A.K A. General Junior, who abducted and killed the two murder victims was not arrested. Also Alhaji Buba Umaru, the financier of the crime was also not arrested.
From the onset, the investigating officers at the SOIT, displayed serious bias in favour of the arrested suspects. They harassed and threatened members of the families of the murder victims and other members of Oshigbokor who came forward to give evidence of the crime.
Based on the disposition of the police officers at SOIT, The Rivers Coalition for Human Rights wrote a petition to the Rivers State Police Commissioner, (see attached) appealing to him to take over the investigation or reassign it to competent and honest police officers. Two days after the petition was submitted to the Rivers State Police Commissioner, the murder suspects Moji Sampson and Emeka Sampson, were hurriedly released by the SOIT officers, after less than one week of investigation, despite the overwhelming evidence linking the suspects to the crime. The SOIT officers under the Command of SP Alex and SP Esor Johnson, deliberately refused to arrest Junior Prince Nsirim (General Junior) and Alhaji Buba Umaru or invite the for questioning.
Upon their release Moji Sampson and Emeka Sampson returned back to Oshigbokor Community and boasted that they had bribed SP Alex and SP Esor Johnson with 30 Million Naira, and that nothing will happen to them as they now have the police in their pockets. They equally embarked on a man hunt for community members, who they accused of collaborating with the police on their arrest and supplying information and evidence against them.
It may please you to note that Moji Sampson and Emeka Sampson has been re-arrested by the Inspector Generals’ Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
But the investigation may be hampered if the officers of the SOIT in Rivers state continue to act in ways that will compromise the investigations. For instance, while in the custody of the SOIT, Moji Sampson made three different and contradictory statements. These statements have developed wings. The officers at SOIT continues to work from the background to ensure that Moji Sampson and Emeka Sampson regains freedom immediate.
It will interest you to note that the origin of this murder case can be traced to the to the organized criminal activities around the Aradel Holdings (formally Niger Delta Petroleum Resources Limited NDPR) refinery in Ogbele community in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State involving intimidation, harassment, torture, illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism, terrorism, kidnapping as spearheaded by Alhaji Buba Umaru, Mr Moji Sampson, Emeka Sampson and Junior Prince Nsirim (07031813173, 08054992481, 07031056516, 0915311766, 08030576721).
Alhaji Buba Umaru a retired Chief Superintendent of Police has been in the employment of Aradel for over ten years as community liaison manager, wherein he superintends the company’s relationship with the host communities of Ogbele, Oshiugbokor and Ubumeze. With his influence on the communities, he has been able to gain the company’s confidence to see him as their point man to manage the company’s relationship with the communities.
In doing this Alhaji Buba Umaru co-opted Mr Moji Sampson and his brother Emeka Sampson from Oshiugbokor as fronts to conduct illegal bunkering activities by bringing in tankers at late nights to load crude oil and refined products from the refinery unknown to Aradel management.
To consolidate the illegal activities, they engaged the services of a notorious cultist and criminal Mr Junior Prince Nsirim (aka General Junior) who has a gang of over 50 boys armed with dangerous weapons such AK 47 and other assault rifles and operate a camp at Okporowo community where they carry out various criminal activities including assassinations, murder, kidnapping, rapping etc.
Mr Moji Sampson with the funding from Buba Umaru is the one that has been procuring arms for Junior so he is very loyal to Moji and executes any directive from him including killing of any suspected opposition to Buba Umaru and Moji’s activities. They have in the process cowed the communities and committed several murders, tortures to the extent that they control all the benefits due the community from Aradel with the community getting nothing from the operations of Aradel on their land and water front with Alhaji Buba Umaru as the chief sponsor within Aradel.
Those who dared to question about the community entitlements from Aradel were murdered on the orders of Moji Sampson such as Chief Eze Alali who was shot at Okporowo on his way to his Oshiugbokor village and Mr Clifford Godwin Omu amongst others.
Other community youths who dared to oppose the reign of terror and seizure of their lands and waterfront by Aradel through Moji Sampson and his brother Emeka Sampson, who poses as the Communty Laiason Officer (CLO) of Aradel Holdings, under the guidance of Buba, were taken by Junior to his camp where they were tortured, videod by boys of Junior with sophisticated rifles and warned them never to ask further about anything related to Aradel. (See attached pictures).
Mr Moji Sampson with the support of Alhaji Buba Umaru for no reason dethroned the paramount ruler of Oshiugbokor Chief Elysian Okpara John and proclaimed himself as the paramount ruler, imposed his brother Mr Emeka Sampson through Alhaji Buba as CLO of the land and Waterfront where Aradel Carrie’s out crude oil loading when they did not have ownership of the land.
On account of his activities, Moji threatened to eliminate Chief Elysian John and his family if he does not vacate the stool and flee the community. Chief Elysian John who was over 74 years old, was forced to flee the community and could not go home for fear of his life. He also brought an action to the Police and the Courts requesting that Moji Sampson should hand over to the community the royalties paid by Aradel to Moji on behalf of the community which he has appropriated to himself for the past five years running into over 200,000,000 million Naira. (See attached court documents). Chief Elysian also reported the threats to his life by Moji Sampson and his brother Emeka to the King of Upata His Royal Majesty Eze Felix Otuwarikpo who can attest to this.
Chief Elysian John tired of running,, sought to make peace with Junior who is Buba and Moji’s military wing was lured and given confidence to meet with Junior facilitated by one Emeka Gorden – (08146097661) from Okoma2 community on the 7th of September 2024 but asked to repeat on Sunday 8th and was accompanied by a youth from the community Mr Saviour Ajikwara. Of the three of them that went on the 8th, the intermediary Mr Emeka Gorden escaped while Chief Elysian John and Saviour Ajikwara were held and killed by Junior and his boys and their remains yet to be recovered.
Mr Gorden Emeka narrated that while they were at Junior’s place 4 of his boys came and took them into the bush but he may have been spared leading to his escape because he heard them saying he is not from Oshiugbokor village and Chief Elysian John and Saviour were executed on the orders of Moji Sampson and Alhaji Buba for being obstacles to their continued illegal bunkering at the Aradel refinery.
Mr Moji Sampson and his brother Emeke Sampson who have become multi millionaires through illegal bunkering activities with Buba’s collaboration, and boasting that nothing will happen to them as the police and the DSS can not confront Junior on account of high power armaments and boys Junior has in his command. He also boasted that the Police can always be settled by Buba with money as a retired senior police officer to ensure their illegal activities are always swept under the carpet.
Following our earlier petition, Moji Sampson and Emeka Sampson were arrested and detained at the offices of the Special Operations Intelligence Team (SOIT/RVS), Mile 1, Police Division. While we were hopeful that the arrest will be extended to Junior Prince Nsirim and Buba Umaru, to unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction and murder of Chief Elysian John and Saviour Ajikwara, we also were not unmindful that the investigation could be deliberately sabotaged. Hence we monitored the whole development.
True to our fears, the investigating police officers at SOIT deliberately bungled the investigations and are still interfering with the renewed effort by the IGPs Intelligence Response Team, which has taken over the matter.
The chain of evidence listed below were suppressed by SP. Alex and SP. Esor Johnson, in their bid to sabotage the investigations, after receiving huge sums from Moji Sampson and Buba Umaru.
1. After his arrest and while making statements, Moji Sampson received and alert of 30 Million in his phone from Aradel Holdings. The Investigating officers also saw photographs of people being tortured and those who have been killed in the phone, sent to Moji Sampson by ‘General’ Junior Prince Nsirim. Also evidence of regular transactions and correspondence was seen in the phone between Moji Sampson, Buba Umaru and Junior Prince Nsirim.
2. The Investigation team did not invite Buba Umaru or Junior Prince Nsirim to take their statements. Other members of the community who came forward to give evidence were threatened and chased away.
3. Moji Sampson made three statements under guidance from SP. Alex and SP. Esor Johnson
4. Moji Sampson’s phone and SIM Card which would have served as evidence, was surreptitiously returned to his wife by the police officers at SOIT after collecting huge sums of money from Moji Sampson.
5. Hon. Emeka Gordon, the only witness to the abduction of Chief Elysian John and Saviour Ajikwara, who escaped from General Juniors camp, told the investigating Police Officers at SOIT led by SP. Alex and Esor Johnson, that he heard the boys who took them away, saying, “So you are the ones disturbing Moji Sampson and his brother in Oshigbokor”. On escaping, he ran to to his paramount, to report what he saw and heard, before going to the police. Yet General Junior was not invited fir questioning not was the Paramount ruler invited to give evidence.
6. For over two months that this inciden occurred, the investigating police team as a result of bribes received from the suspects did not border to visit the scene of crime or make any effort towards recovering the remains of the murdered victims.
It is therefore unacceptable and unprofessional that SP Alex and SP Esor Johnson, will continue to sabotage the investigations based on the huge sums they have collected form Moji Sampson, Emeka Sampson, Alhaji Buba Umaru and Prince Junior Nsirim (General Junior).
We are therefore calling on you to use your good offices to initiate an investigation into the activities of SP Alex, SP Esor Johnson and other officers of the Special Operations and Intelligence Team of the Rivers State Police Command, with a view to sanctioning their unwholesome and unpatriotic conduct as a deterrence to other police officers and also to restore public confidence in the Police Services in line with the mandate and objectives of the Police Service Commission.
We are confident that this petition will galvanize the necessary action towards ensuring that justice is served in this matter by bringing the suspects to book andvensuring closure to the murder victims and their traumatized families.
The Rivers Coalition for Human Rights (RCHR) is a coalition of human rights and civil society groups based in and active in Rivers, working to promote respect for human rights, good governance and democracy. It is our avowed objective to intervene at every opportunity to protect the rights of citizens especially the downtrodden.
Signed
Derefaka Green
Coordinator
Ndamzhi Amadi
Asst Secretary
Hannah Nikade
Program/Research Officer
C.C.
1. The Inspector General of Police
Force Headquarters, Abuja.
2. The Commissioner of Police
Rivers State Police Command
Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.