Ben Dunno, Warri
Members of the Delta state branch of the Committee for Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) have vowed not to rest until the policemen who allegedly murdered one of its own, Comrade Christian Njoku, were brought to justice.
The body has therefore urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, and the Delta state Police Commissioner, CP Muhammad Mustafa, not to attempt to sweep the findings in its ongoing investigation under the carpet as this would amount to perverting justice.
The CDHR members, numbering over 150, dressed in black, took to major streets of Warri and Effurun in Delta State, to protest what it described as the ‘deliberate murder’ of its member by trigger happy police patrol team led by one Sergeant Wilson Menah, attached to the Ekpan Division in Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.
The placard-carrying protesters, who defied the heavy rains within Warri metropolis and its environs, last Friday, specifically demanded public retraction and subsequent apology to the deceased’s family over the police report which claimed the victim was an armed robber, allegedly to cover up his death.
Speaking with newsmen at the spot the victim was allegedly shot dead by the police along Jakpa road, its Chairman, Comrade Prince Kehinde Taiga, who led the protest, noted that it had become imperative for the police to first set the record on the victim’s identity straight so as to correct the wrong impression already created.
“We are very much committed to justice in this case and as you can see, this has been demonstrated here today by our members defiled the heavy rains to come out enmasse to join us in this solidarity protest.
“All we seek is justice for the soul of one of our committed member who was killed by a team of policemen for personal reasons”.
“But first, we are calling on the police authorities to make a public announcement retracting the earlier claim in its report that the victim was an armed robber who was going for an operation with his gang. We take a strong exception to this falsehood as our colleague is as law abiding citizen and a businessman”.
“We are also demanding that an unreserved apology be tendered to the family of the deceased for both the physical and psychological trauma they have been subjected to over the death of their son.
“This apology will go a long way in removing the dent the malicious police report has brought to the family name”.
“The police should then handover the culprits to the court to face the consequence of their action in order to serve as a deterrent to other police men who take pleasures in killing innocent citizens and cover up the cases by describing their victims as armed robbers since they are no longer alive to defend themselves”.
Taiga noted that their members were closely monitoring development into the case and would be making further statement as the events unfolds.