REBUTTAL: Setting the Record Straight on the Allegations Against Inspector Chikadibia Okebata
Recent media reports have circulated a series of grave allegations against Inspector Chikadibia Okebata of the Imo State Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad. While the reports are sensational and emotive, they suffer from critical gaps, unverified claims, and a disregard for due process. For the sake of public clarity, national security, and institutional integrity, it is crucial to interrogate these narratives and present a balanced perspective.
1. Media Trial Without Evidence
The reports rely heavily on claims, accusations, and anonymous testimonies without providing:
- Forensic evidence
- Official police investigative findings
- Court documents or judgments
- Independent verification by credible bodies
Allegations—even repeated ones—do not amount to proof. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria upholds presumption of innocence until guilt is proven.
2. The 2022 Incident: A Case Still Under Review, Not a Conviction
The narrative surrounding the unfortunate death of a fellow officer in 2022 is based solely on a petition by the bereaved family, which any citizen has the right to file.
Factually:
- No investigative report has indicted Inspector Okebata.
- The claim that he was “arrested and released the same day” lacks official confirmation.
- Internal disciplinary procedures, which are usually confidential, cannot be dismissed simply because they are not publicly announced.
Turning an ongoing or inconclusive matter into a declaration of guilt is unfair and misleading.
3. Claims From Protesters Require Independent Verification
The reports quote placards and protest statements from a section of the community, but public protests are not substitutes for factual evidence. In many communities, local politics, land disputes, and oil-related economic interests often influence such demonstrations.
It is also notable that:
- No independent human rights organisation has authenticated the claims.
- No judicial panel has confirmed any case of torture or extrajudicial killing against Inspector Okebata.
- Protest statements cannot, on their own, justify the portrayal of an officer as a murderer.
4. Oil Bunkering Allegations Are Highly Questionable
The accusation by a Tantita Security Services coordinator that Inspector Okebata is “chairman of all bunkers” in the area is speculative and self-serving. Inter-agency tensions between private security contractors and law enforcement officers are well-documented.
Furthermore:
- No federal agency (NUPRC, NNPCL, EFCC, Navy) has indicted him.
- No material evidence was presented beyond verbal claims.
- The officer in question has publicly and consistently denied involvement, a denial ignored by the reports.
5. Fantastical Claims of Shrines and Human Skulls
Perhaps the most disturbing claims—human skulls, shrines, forced sexual acts—are also the most unsubstantiated.
These allegations:
- Lack photographic, forensic, or police evidence.
- Were not validated by any federal investigative team.
- Appear sensationalised, evoking imagery of ritualism without proof.
Such extreme claims demand rigorous investigation, not blind acceptance.
6. The Dangers of One-Sided Reporting
The Foundation for Investigative Journalism’s report:
- Does not include responses from neutral authorities.
- Does not reference official police statements or findings.
- Does not highlight Inspector Okebata’s operational record or successes in anti-kidnapping efforts.
- Relies disproportionately on aggrieved individuals, some of whom may have personal or economic motives.
Balanced journalism requires giving equal weight to both sides.
7. Due Process Must Prevail
No society can function when:
- Allegations are treated as convictions,
- Media reports replace official investigations,
- Security officers are condemned without fair hearing.
If any individual or group has evidence of wrongdoing, the appropriate avenue is:
- The Police Service Commission,
- The National Human Rights Commission,
- A court of competent jurisdiction.
Inspector Okebata has expressed willingness to respond to all allegations within legal and institutional frameworks.
8. Conclusion
The publication in question paints a picture that is neither balanced nor verified. While allegations should never be ignored, they must be investigated professionally—not sensationalised in a manner that compromises justice, undermines security personnel, and inflames community tensions.
Nigeria deserves journalism that seeks truth, not headlines; and officers deserve due process, not trial by media.
