Wednesday May 14, 2025 |
The Police in Delta State have interrogated the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) attached to Oghara Police Division for allegedly collecting the sum of N500,000 for the bail of two professional builders, Mr. Henry Umukoro and his colleague, Mr. Godfrey Jonah.
The spokesperson for the command, SP Bright Edafe, told the team of Bail is Free Campaigners who protested against the incident that the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olufemi Abaniwonda, had ordered the refund of the money and the immediate release of the two suspects.
The two suspects were arrested and detained at the Police Division for days without being granted bail permission.
Following this development, Bail is Free Campaigners, on Monday, stormed the State Police headquarters, Asaba, to protest against the arrest and continued detention of Henry Umukoro and Mr. Godfrey Jonah.
The protesters, led by the Executive Director of the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), David Ugolor, alleged that on the 11th of April, 2025, Jonah was arrested by police officers in the Oghara Division, in connection with a mob action against an individual.
He, however, lauded the CP for granting their request for the unconditional release of the two men and the refund of the N500,000 collected at the Oghara Division for bail.
“We arrived in Asaba for two main reasons; one, to launch the Bail is Free Campaign, and secondly, to demand the immediate release of Henry Umukoro and Jonah Godfrey, two innocent Nigerians who were detained in Oghara,” he said.
“The Police authority responded to their requests for the immediate release of the two citizens and the return of N500,000 that was collected in Oghara.
“The Commissioner of Police also ordered a query for the police officer who collected the money at the Oghara Division.”
