March 24, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Police Force (NPF), has asked the Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) sitting in Abuja, to award N20 million compensation to the family of one of the officers allegedly murdered in Anambra State.
The Force, through its lawyer, Fidelis Ogwobe, told the panel on Thursday that the late officer, Akor Ude, who was a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), was killed at Odekpe Community, when he went for a peacekeeping operation.
Ogwobe alleged that the deceased officer, who led a police team to the community, was attacked and butchered by three members of the community whose identities were uncovered during investigation.
He told the Panel chaired by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Suleiman Galadima, that the slain officer, who was the breadwinner of his family, deserved the N20m compensation considering the circumstances that led to his untimely death.
The Police demand came after it opposed a petition, which alleged that its officers extra-judicially killed one Peter Ekwealor, who was a member of the community, insisting that there was no evidence to prove Ekwealor’s cause of death.
Ogwobe, who told the panel that members of late Ekwealor’s family and their counsel failed to respond to an invitation to be part of a proposed autopsy on the body of the deceased, insisted that the real victim was the slain CSP and not Ekwealor, whose cause of death, he said was yet to be ascertained since autopsy was not conducted on his body.
He argued that instead of the panel awarding monetary compensation to the Petitioners, it should be given to the family of the deceased officer.
The Police lawyer maintained that the Petitioners failed to prove their case of extra-judicial killing, beyond all reasonable doubt as required by the evidence Act.
However, counsel to the Petitioners, B.C. Egwuatu, who opposed the prayers of the Police, told the panel that late Ekwealor was a victim of abuse of power and unlawful use of firearms, which he said resulted in his death in Police custody.
Egwuatu said the victim’s family was entitled to the N20m compensation, adding that the deceased had 11 children, who he said would find it difficult to feed and continue their education in the absence of their father, who was the breadwinner of the family.
He also prayed the panel to also award monetary compensation in favour of one Aboy Uduaga, who he said was equally extra-judicially killed by a Police team that allegedly invaded Odekpe Community, following a communal clash that involved a neighbouring Community called Ana.
Meanwhile, the panel, which was led on Thursday by Dr Garba Tetengi (SAN), said it was surprised that Police would come up with the request for compensation, since it did not lodge a counter petition before it.
In his observation, one of the Panel members, John Aikpkpo Martins, recalled that the Panel was set up to investigate human right violations Police committed against citizens and not human rights violations suffered by the police.
However, he noted that since the Police have pointed out the alleged killing of CSP Ude, the panel would look into it and decide on what to do in the interest of justice.
After all parties adopted their final written addresses, the matter was adjourned for the panel.
Cited and Respondents in the petition, are CSP Danjuma Ocheje (Delta State Police Command), Personal of IGT IRT FHQ Abuja, Commissioner of Police FCT, Commissioner of Police Delta State, and Inspector General of Police.
