Ben Dunno, Warri
A rights activist and member of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Delta State branch, Comrade Christian Njoku, has been shot dead by a police patrol team attached to the Ekpan Division in Uvwie Local Government Area.
The deceased, a 35-years-old businessman, who deals on foot wears, a family trade inherited from his father being the first child, was shot at close range inside his Toyota Solara car with registration number LSD 561 BC along the popular Jakpa road at about 9;25pm on Monday while out to get some personal stuff.
Chairman of the CDHR, Delta branch, Comrade Kehinde Prince Taiga, who led other members of the body to the NUJ Warri Secretariat on protest yesterday, urged the Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammad Mustafa, to ensure justice prevailed by bringing the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.
The body insisted that the deceased was a responsible member committed to the cause of bringing justice to the oppressed and not an armed robbery suspect as claimed by the police in their defense to justify the killing, describing the robbery story as another frame up to cover up the crime committed.
Taiga said they had conducted their own investigation on what happened on the night of June 18, 2018, and discovered that there was no incident of robbery in the location where he was killed.
He said the deceased was murdered in cold blood by police officers from Ekpan Division who after confirming him dead from the bullet shot directly at his chest, wasted no time in depositing his body at the mortuary of the Warri Central hospital.
According to him, “We asked, who brought the corpse to the mortuary. Mortuary attendants said the body was brought by police men who did not disclose their particulars. We met the DPO of Ekpan Police station he told us he was not aware but that there was a report of exchange of gunfire by policemen and four armed robbers”.
“We looked at the car that the four men were driving in there was no blood stain anywhere, neither were there bullet holes in the car, so how come the police said the unarmed men exchanged gunfire with them”.
“We wrote a petition to the commissioner of police he said the matter would be investigated. We have realized that the police in Delta state are always attacking our members because of our regular public campaign that no one should pay money for bail. We will continue to preach that bail is free.
“The police also have been threatening me that any time they meet me in a quiet place they will kill me. We want a proper investigation of this lawless and dastardly murder and the police killers should be fished out and brought to book.
“Nigeria police that are paid to protect citizens are now killing citizens. The police now kill innocent people and put weapons on them that they are rammed robber”.
“The police must work within the armpit of the law. We will continue to preach that bail is free”, the CDHR chairman said.
He appealed to the inspector general of police to wade into the matter and order a proper investigation saying the Delta police command had almost succeeded in sweeping all the evidence incriminating them away including asking the mortuary officials to stitch up the bullet wound and to hid the spot.
Taiga explained that Three weeks ago a member of the body was also shot at Udu, saying the incident of unprovoked shooting by the police in Delta state wais on the increase.
In a swift reaction however the Delta state Police PRO Andrew Aniamaka said it was a case of armed robbery, that there was an exchange of gunfire during which the deceased was shot and died on the way to hospital.
The Police PRO said “On Monday 18, 2018 at about 21:30 pm while along Jakpa Road, patrol team intercepted one Toyota Solara car, black colour with registration number LSD 561 BC Lagos with four unknown armed men, who on sighting the patrol team opened fire which resulted in gun battle between the price and the hoodlums, in the course of cross firing one of the unknown hoodlum sustained bullet injury but later died on the way to the hospital while others escaped. One cut to size locally made double barrel gun, two life cartridges, one infinix phone were recovered on him. Corpse has been deposited at the Warri Central Hospital. Investigation in progress to track down fleeing hoodlums”