Nigerian bizman killed in Togo: Community appeals to FG for justice

By Sunday Ani

Indigenes of Awka-Etiti in Anambra State under the aegis of Awka Etiti Improvement Union, through their counsel, Ebele Obi and Associates, have written a petition to the Federal Government to ensure that those behind the gruesome murder of their son, Mr. Emmanuel Chukwuma Uchenna Udeh, in Lome, Republic of Togo, in June were brought to justice.
Sunday Sun of July 17, 2016, with headline, “Untold story of Nigerian bizman killed in Togo,” had reported how Mr. Udeh was callously killed by family members of his estranged Togolese girlfriend.
According to the story, Mr. Udeh was allegedly beaten to stupor and set ablaze by family members of his live-in Togolese lover.
The town union, through its counsel is accusing the Togolese Police of hiding the culprits because the victim is a Nigerian. They therefore, urged the Foreign Affairs Ministry to explore all available diplomatic channels to ensure that the assailants are brought to book,
The petition reads: “Sir, it is our brief that on June 30, 2016, Mr.  Emmanuel Chukwuma Uchenna Udeh was unlawfully killed in Agod-Nyive part of Lome, Republic of Togo, in the most cruel and uncivilized manner.
“We were informed that the victim, who had a live-in female Togolese lover, was killed on the estrangement of the love affairs. Our client informed us that two days prior to the day of the incident, the victim’s live-in lover packed out of his house and swore never to come back again.
“We were further informed that on the fateful day, the victim went to return some of her personal belongings and was accosted by his estranged lover’s family members. They attacked the victim, beat him to a state of coma and set him ablaze.
“Our client informed us that the incident that happened right behind a police station, Gendamerie Nationale, Brigade Territoriale, Agod-Nyive, went all the way without their intervention.
“We were further informed that officers from the station evacuated his remains to the mortuary without any reasonable arrest. All they did was to arrest the victim’s lover, detained her for a while, and then set her free.
“It is equally our brief that our client’s efforts to find out more about the investigation were resisted by the police, as they were informed bluntly that they could only deal with the Nigerian Embassy on the issue.”
Sequel to the foregoing, the community is calling on the Federal Government to take a decisive action and ensure that those behind the dastardly act are brought to justice.
The petition further reads: “It is clear to us that there is collusion from the Togolese Police, simply for the fact that the victim is a foreigner. They are simply protecting their own and not interested in justice for the victim and his family.
“Based on the re-invigorated spirit of this administration, we are urging you to use your good offices to treat this matter and make sure that all the assailants are brought to book.
The community is also asking for compensation, saying, “It is our further appeal that the family of the victim be compensated since he was survived by aged parents and as sister. The victim being the only son was catering for his parents and sister.”