The family of Ugochukwu Ozuah, a
36-year-old man who was allegedly killed by policemen five days after
his wedding, has told the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed
Abubakar, to stop the
incessant extra-judicial killings in the country.
The family also demanded for a letter of
apology from the IG due to what it described as an insensitive response
to the issue by the Lagos State Police Command.
The sister of the deceased, Mrs. Nkechi
Nonyelu, said this during a condolence visit by the police to the family
in Lagos on Saturday.
Nkechi, along with her siblings, wore
black T-shirts displaying the deceased picture, with the inscription,
‘Ugo Ozuah, another victim of extra-judicial killing.’
Abubakar had on Thursday constituted a
team from the Federal Criminal Investigation Department to take over the
investigation of Ozuah killing.
The team, led by Mr. Chris Ezike, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, promised the family that investigations would be transparent.
Nkechi however told Ezike that apart
from investigating the murder, there was need for police reform due to
the incessant extra-judicial killings by policemen.
She said, “Our family just lost the only
son. My brother was intelligent and could have even become president of
Nigeria but his life was cut short.
“My mother had lost a son before and
just lost her husband. Now, the only son was killed just five days after
his wedding. Doctors have been trooping in since then to attend to my
mother and Ugochukwu’s (Ozuah’s) wife.
“Police killings must stop and things
must change. The police need to start having human feelings and respect
the sanctity of the lives of the Nigerians they have sworn to protect.”
Nkechi told the team that the family was
aggrieved not only because of the loss of their son but also due to the
manner with which the police responded to their plight.
She said, “If the police had
commiserated with the family immediately after the incident, nerves
would have been calmed. It took the police over a week to commiserate
with the family. We want a written letter of apology from the IG.
“The message the police were sending was
that the matter does not concern the force since my brother was killed
by robbers. It doesn’t matter who killed him, all we want is justice.”
The mother of the deceased, Chinwe, with tears in her eyes, said all she wanted was justice for her son’s death.
Ezike told the family that the team comprises 12 detectives, adding that investigations would be very thorough.
The DCP said he was among the team of
policemen that investigated the murder of the founding managing director
of Mobitel Nig.Ltd, Mr. Charles Joseph, in 2005.
He said, “The IG sent us here because of
the need to remain neutral and professional since the police in Lagos
have been fingered in the said crime and it would not be right for them
to act as judges over a matter against them. We will visit the crime
scene, the mortuary and also the Anthony Police Station. We’ll carry out
forensic investigation.
“We will inspect the corpse as well as
the point of bullet entry and exit. Although we are not magicians, we
will do our best. The investigation will be like that of a collapsed
building. We will reconstruct the crime scene like a collapsed building
and put clues together.”
While commiserating with the family, Ezike urged them to come forward with any information they have as regards the case.
“I want you all to provide me with all
information you have, nothing is useless. Even if it is a mere gossip,
tell me about it,” he said.
Ezike embraced the mother of the deceased and told her to look up to God for strength.
One of the family members, who
introduced himself as the chairman at Ugochukwu’s wedding reception, Mr.
Uwamai Igein, said police needed to improve their image and be more
people- friendly.
Nkechi told Ezike after the meeting that
he should start by unravelling the mystery behind the disappearance of
the statement from the Anthony Division written by the eyewitness,
Irikefe Omene, who was with the deceased when he was killed.
While speaking on the sidelines, the
deceased’s wife, Joan, said she still blamed the police because of their
refusal to rush her husband to hospital.
“When I arrived the scene, Ugochukwu
(Ozuah) was not dead. The Divisional Police Officer and his men were
there looking at him and refused to help him. We were the ones that
rushed him to the hospital while Omene went to write a statement.
“The DPO is now claiming no statement was written. How then did the police get Omene’s address when they wanted to arrest him?”
-Punch
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