PPRO Anambra, CSO brainstorm on cyber crime, corruption

PPRO Anambra, CSO brainstorm on cyber crime, corruption

By Chinwe Nwacha, Onitsha

In his bid to create more awareness on cyber crime which some people have become victims, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga, (SP),at Idemili North Local Government headquarters, Ogidi, lectured members of a human right group, Defend Your Right Foundation, DYRF, on cyber crime and corruption.

The PPRO who described Civil society organizations and police as partners in progress, disclosed that human rights organizations relate more with the police than other security agencies and attributed it to police being closest to the Public.

Ikenga however did not rule out having bad eggs in every profession, including police and civil society organizations, stating, "As much as we have bad eggs in police, so we have in other professions, before one comes into a profession, he has his own attitude, behaviour, but what he does with the uniform, profession, defines him/her more.

Focusing more on cyber crime he stated that, "The world is moving, there is a shift everyday, if you don't move the world you will be left where you were yesterday. Yesterday is not where we are today and it is changing our job.

"Be internet related, create handles on Facebook, TikTok, because most of the cases are internet fraud. The three tips I will like to share with you to protect yourself because you will protect yourself first before protecting others, are one : if one sends you message you are not familiar with don't reply especially the one with link. If you open, the person has gotten you 50 per cent. Even if you have opened it, delete it.

"Again, don't answer a call related to financial discussion in the public, create the culture of call me back, I am not in conducive area, send me message, etc. Thirdly, create time not to get to internet, some cases we get on January are burglary. When travel some people will not know you travel, but you post that  you travel, I dey village now.

"Other people will indicate that you are not around. Create the presence of leaving one or two lights on and fourthly, have someone in your area you are conversant with," he disclosed further.

"Also on corruption he said, "You people should not generalize that all policemen are bad likewise in human rights organisations, I don't say we are collection of angels, even in the Bible, if among 12 there is Judas, talk more of how many police officers in the country, but the institution deliberately knows this and that's why they created some departments to be watchdogs on what we are doing.

"Federal Government also knows that these institutions created are not enough to hold these bad eggs accountable, that is why human right commission is created to remind and sensitize the general public and to also act as watchdog and people that would help the vulnerable," he revealed.

He however lamented that the impression they receive is that some of the human rights personnel are using it as an advantage to make money, adding, "My predecessor gave me a brief, he told me that human rights want to maneuver anytime they come to the station to assist someone and you as a human right personnel should know that your work alone does not stop at when you assist one to get bail or to come out of a tight corner, you should let the person know that yes I assisted you.

"let that person know that he is wrong for that traffic offence he committed.Whenever you come to the station, police officers are human beings, the way you approach someone will determine the response you will get, if you start from the angle that this is what he (police)  suppose to do, do and charge him to court. You are not helping the person you are assisting.

" As a human right personnel, the angle you will start from is, yes I know this person committed this offence, please give me the opportunity to take him on bail and sensitize him on what he should do, the police will calm down when you come from this angle, but when  you start with, I know the DPO, I know the PPRO,, the DPO and PPRO always come and go but there are officers that can stay in a place longer as necessary and still be there.

"Generally, the way you talk to person determines the approach you will get, that is why it looks as if there is gap between the police and the human right. In Anambra, human rights are really trying because if you observe what happened during Endsars, you understand that police have not gone out of it. During Endsars, though I wasn't here then, I was briefed that Ogidi Station is one of the  stations that were not burnt down during Endsars, not only because of people from Ogidi, but I must give it to them, is because of the 'Defend Your Right Foundation' headquarter is here in Ogidi," he further disclosed.

On tinted permits he revealed that there is no such thing stating, "Let me use this platform to educate us that there is nothing like tinted permit, there is no law backing tinted permit, the police have abolished it, because how things happen and challenges we are facing here in Anambra. You know these criminal elements used this kind of vehicle. If you know you have nothing you are hiding, if you get to the checkpoint, please wine down.

""Some when at the checkpoint, put on their music, you would not allow the police to do their job, it is a red flag, even if you are innocent, but for the fact you have exhibited some characters, it has criminal attributes.

"Whenever I get this kind of complaint, what I have at the back of my mind, which I will like you to queue into it is, one, solve the problem, if you cannot solve the problem, escalate it, if you can't escalate it, of course, you can solve it. Secondly, use that problem to teach both the complainant and the accused person, as a human right officer, not only the money is involved, also know that you are doing God's work as well," he stated.

The police image maker also stressed the need for human rights activists to be familiar with the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in their area of residence for interaction and contact on activism as both are partners in progress including attending courses to equip themselves and become experienced in their chosen profession.

According to him, "To get justice, don't overdue things, don't act criminality in assisting a person, I have gotten petitions on our officers at the divisions by human rights. The request is always to transfer bad cases to another place, but remember it is the same police, attimes, it is good to write because as I said, some of our officers are very wonderful, just say your interest, maybe because the person has stayed more days in detention. But it is not the end of it, why people bring complaints to us is because they cannot do it alone, he needs someone to do it on his behalf.

In his response, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Defend Your Right Foundation, DYRF, Comrade Charles Ejefonye, disclosed  that the occasion was celebration of success, recalling that the body was registered with Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, in 2019 and since then, "We are training people, this is a training based Organisation, we concluded human right leadership and legal training.

"We give our members certificate and awards to 11 people, including Human rights of the year and face of human right, Chief Agbalanze Ifekudu, His Royal Highness, Igwe Alex Onyido, Ezechuomagha of Ogidi, our reason for giving Igwe Ogidi award is when we are starting, we have our head office at Nkpor, and it is in Idemili North.

"We decided to visit Igwe Ogidi, we told him what we do and he hosted us very well, appreciated us so much and promised to partner with us, to call on him whenever the need arises, I should call him the human right compliance.

"It is our tradition to work with the hierarchy of the police especially the image makers, believing that the higher we go to the police hierarchy, the easier it becomes to us. About the PPRO, we interacted with the man and found out that he is an intellectual, someone you can work with and rely on.

"The closest people to us are the Nigerian police, unfortunately police see human rights as enemies but we actually deviated from the tradition of protest, demonstration, antagonism, our own is training based, we believe in changing the mindset of people we reinfigurate, reformating our mindset because when you know your right, you will be able to defend it," he stated.

On Crime he said, "Crime is a global phenomenon, national phenomenon, Anambra state seems to be the worst state, the youths of the state bear the greatest blunt, the reason is that the youths want to get rich quick, they get into Oke ite stuff, yahoo, cultism.

"We normally deal with the PPRO of the states, so when we call them, I don't know if they received different training apart from other officers, they are very friendly," Ejefonye stated.

In his own contribution, Etokwudo Sunday Mark, said the two awards he received were on behalf of Mazi Sam Ebere Umenwa, (a.k.a Nwaezefunamba Awkaetiti), who supported them financially because of the love he has for human rights, and the other person, Achum Uche Ephraim from Achalla, Awka North, who supported them also.

According to him, I joined human right on January this year because of the impact played by Charles Ejefuonye, Onwa, prompted me to queue in properly in annihilating, giving succour to the vulnerable, atleast one of his tips on cyber crime is my first time of knowing it which will help me a lot, the young man is very dynamic," he confessed.

Nwoke Ogidi, said, "Igwe was given an award because he placed many people on scholarship, pays stipend to octogenarians. The human right honours him with "Man of the Year', award.

Mrs Uchechukwu Etokwudo, in her contribution said, "it pays for one to see to the welfare of the vulnerable, I advise the human rights to keep it up, I supported my husband both physically and spiritually because this kind of thing needs spiritual backup," she affirmed 

Mr Benjamin Okafor, the chairman, planning/organizing committee, and one of the executives of this human right, stated that, "My challenges as planning committee chairman, "We are able to come out successfully, sorting for funds, visiting people, I thank God it was a success, the lectures are mind blowing, our mission is to eradicate ignorance from the people and PPRO's lecture is not far from truth, because these youths that are engaged in cyber crime don't know that they can make money also in a legitimate way through cyber," he maintained.

Among those honoured with award of Excellence in Defences of Democracy included, Chief Jude Nwankwo who is the President General of Ogidi Building Materials International Market and Hon. Chijioke I. Okeke.