By Okechukwu Onuegbu
Parents and players in Maureen Madu Kiddies Football Academy, Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area (LGA), Anambra State, on Tuesday, staged a peaceful protest against brutality and refusal to investigate the atrocity the personnel meted at their wards and leader of the club.
Maureen Madu, an ex-Super Falcon's striker and internationally celebrated player of repute was in October 2024 handcuffed and brutalised by officers from Anti Cult Unit in zone 13 Ukpo, Anambra State. Officers also brutalised and wounded her and children who are team members and learners in the academy.
The protesters numbering over 100 stormed the Police headquarters at Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area, to register their displeasure over the matter which left many kid players wounded and hospitalised for months.
Addressing the newsmen, the protesters lamented that the police had turned a deaf ear to their demands for justice since the day of the incident and only ordering them to report here and there without a recourse to the injuries and emotional damages sustained as a result of the man-inhumanity to man perpetrated by the personnel.
Also speaking, the Director of Maureen Madu kiddies football academy, Maruen Madu expressed worry over the delay to grant justice to the children, who according to her, heavily sustained injuries and other damages.
According to Madu, most of the children attacked during the invasion of the academy by the police were yet to recover their phones from the police, thereby denying them opportunities to communicate with their parents.
The damages, injuries, hospital bills and others sustained at course of this incident amounts to about ₦10 million. They have called on the Inspector General of Police to order investigation into the matter with a view to bring justice to the kiddies, while also demanding for ₦10 compensation so as to get the children going.
It would be recalled that personnel suspected to be operatives of Anti Cult Unit from zone 13 Ukpo invaded her academy, Maureen Madu Kiddies Football Academy, Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area (LGA), brutalised players, smashed and seized their phones before taking them away in handcuffs.
She had said that a man registered his daughter in her academy for summer coaching but failed to provide her and later turned around to label allegations of armed gangsterism, attempted child trafficking and threat to life against her in a bid to evade his indebtedness.
"All I want is justice. This man who left his daughter with me for four months should prove his case or damages with apology. The police should exonerate itself by ensuring that those who invaded my academy and humiliated me and my players without investigation are made to face the consequences of their unprofessional conduct,” she said.
The Police in Anambra had promised to investigate the invasion of Maureen Madu Kiddies Football Academy but failed to do so since thereby prompting her to lead her team to protesting to the command and was asked to return to zone 13 Ukpo.
At course of the protest, the police, including the PPRO, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who earlier called her to come to the command again had ignored her and drove out while his 2iC instructed Madu to visit the Ukpo to retake over the matter.
Madu expressed displeasure over the matter because the same police told her that the command headquarters had taken over the matter.
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