The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has charged two traffic wardens over the killing of an Assistant Superintendent of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the late ASC Ogar Jumbo.
The police in a statement on Wednesday said the Police today arraigned in Court the two Traffic Wardens; TW GII Idoko Sunday and TW GII Katdel Dabit for complicity in the unfortunate death of the NSCDC Officer.
Police spokesman, DCP Frank Mba, said the arraignment of the erstwhile Traffic Wardens follows the outcome of an investigation into the case of alleged discreditable conduct and unlawful exercise of authority reported against them on March 20.
He said the former Traffic Wardens had earlier been subjected to the internal disciplinary procedures of the Force – tried in an Orderly Room, and dismissed before the arraignment.
Mba said the Police investigations positively indicted them for assault and excessive use of force on the deceased after his arrest.
He said forensic analysis by a pathologist as seen in the autopsy report clearly traced the cause of death to injuries inflicted on the deceased during his encounter with the Traffic Wardens.
He said, “For the avoidance of doubt, the autopsy report states in part that the death; was due to blunt force injury to the head, multiple skins and soft tissue injuries on the forehead and face and that there was no natural disease in the body to sufficiently explain the sudden death.”
He said the Force deeply regrets the unfortunate incident which resulted in the death of ASC Ogar Jumbo, adding that the IGP enjoins the public not to lose faith in the Force.
Mba said the IGP warned that like these indicted traffic wardens, any Police officer found wanting for unlawful use of Force and other sundry offences, will be publicly named, shamed and brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others.
He said the two erstwhile Traffic Wardens have been remanded in Kuje prisons pending the next adjournment of the case.
On March 20, Daily Trust gathered that Jumbo was assaulted by the Traffic wardens who were angry over a traffic infraction, along the Nyanya/Mararaba road, around Abuja.
His wife, Ada Jumbo, reportedly said her husband was beaten by the policemen with a baton and slumped on the spot, despite pleas from the wife and children.
It was gathered that instead of taking him immediately to the hospital, the policemen insisted on taking him to a nearby police station for questioning where he slumped a second time.
The Police had earlier said Jumbo had a ‘contravention’ with the police who arrested him after he broke the traffic rule.
Mba said, “I was told he drove himself personally to Nyanya Police station, he walked out of the car and was taken to the charge room for questioning.”
“It was simply in this process that he slumped, they rushed him to a hospital where he was eventually confirmed dead,” Mba stated.
He added that the two traffic wardens involved are in detention pending an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
