Karachi cops arrested for releasing Nigerian smugglers

KARACHI – Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) of Sindh capital arrested and remanded two Sindh police personnel for releasing three Nigerian smugglers in exchange for a bribe.

The investigation revealed that the accused officials had demanded Rs10 million for releasing the suspected smugglers and had been paid half of the demanded amount.

He informed the court that while one of the Nigerian citizens had fled, two others were missing.

The arrested officials are Defence SHO sub-inspector Muhammad Ali and Defence SIO Waseem Abro. The accused were produced before the court.

The Anti-Violent Crime Cell officials said senior officials had received a video in which a man claimed that three Nigerian citizens had been kidnapped, locked in a room, and subjected to torture in Sindh capital.

Later on November 14, 2020, the police conducted an operation and recovered the abducted Nigerian citizens. The Nigerian citizens were kept in the Defence Police's custody and a case for their abduction was registered as well.

AVCC officials added that they were either sent back to their country with the permission of relevant police officials or handed over to the Nigerian embassy, but none of the steps was followed through.

A Shikarpur man, Dilbar, later approached the Defence Police officials seeking the release of detained foreigners.

The Anti-Violent Crime Cell officials added that SHO Ali and SIO Abro released the three Nigerian foreigners in exchange for a bribe. One of the three Nigerian citizens had fled the country, he added.

Later, Crime Investigation Agency DIG Arif Hanif probed into the matter with AVCC members. The committee's inquiry report concluded that two police officials were involved in illegal release in return for bribes.

The accused cops were then produced before the Anti Terrorism Court, which sent them on physical remand until March 6 and sought an investigation report.