By Our Correspondent
The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Obono Nnaghe Itam, on Tuesday ignored a protest at the state police headquarters by Maureen Madu, a veteran Super Falcons striker and five-time Olympian.
Madu, accompanied by her academy students and parents, staged a protest in front of the command’s headquarters gate, demanding justice over her alleged dehumanization by security personnel.
The protest followed an uninvestigated petition against Madu by a parent.
While the protesters gathered, police personnel accompanying the Commissioner of Police ordered them to leave the gate, allowing the CP to drive past. The personnel shouted “Commot for road” as they cleared the way.
Madu was later granted entrance to the command, where an officer instructed her to take her protest to the Zone 13 headquarters in Ukpo, Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state.
Narrating her ordeal to journalists, Madu explained that a man, Uchenna, handed over his daughter to her in June for basic football training during the long holiday.
According to Madu, Uchenna abandoned his daughter with her for four months without showing up until he sent a cab driver to pick her up in late September.
On October 9, security personnel stormed the Ozubulu Camp of the Academy, beating everyone in sight, including players, and taking Madu away in handcuffs, calling her kidnapper and sundry names
Madu’s protest seeks police replacement of the telephones of her academy children, which were vandalized during the police storming of the academy.
She also plans to sue the police for assault, occasioning harm, and defamation.
Madu claimed the personnel forced themselves into the camp without investigating the allegations or producing a warrant, traumatized the players, seized their phones, handcuffed her, and threw her into their vehicle.
Madu demands justice, stating that her image has been severely damaged, and she feels embarrassed.
She requests the police to return all phones in their possession and investigate the man who abandoned his child and petitioned against her.
