The Abia State Panel of Inquiry on Police brutality, extra-judicial killings and other related matters sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State capital has ordered the state Police Command to immediately release the remains of one late Chinaka Ahamefula allegedly killed by the Police, to his family forthwith for burial.
The Chairman of the Panel, Sunday Imo (retired Chief Judge of Abia State) also ordered the Police to fully off-set the mortuary bill of the deceased.
One Obianuju Chinaka, a relation of the deceased and a student residing at MCC Road, opposite Mountain of Fire Ministry, Owerri, Imo State, had told the panel how some Police officers reportedly shot and killed her father, Chinaka Ahamefula, aged 50 years, and a trader. She testified that since after the dastardly act on October 21, 2020, the Police had refused to release the corpse of her late father.
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According to her, her father left Owerri for Aba to visit his friend, Ikoro Agama who was organizing wake keep for his late mother. She learnt that when her father got to his friend’s home, he and Ikoro Agama and Ikoro Friday went to the market to buy foodstuffs for the ceremony. He eventually retired to a nearby palm wine drinking joint to take some palm wine.
Obianuju stated her father was reportedly walking back to his friend’s house when sporadic shootings ensued around Cameroon Road, School Road and environs.
“As my father was walking back to his friend’s house, he was shot at his right leg and the right eye by one of the policemen from Cameroon Road station. He died on the spot. The Police came with their Hilux van and took away my father’s corpse. Thereafter they deposited it at St. Anthony’s Hospital mortuary, Aba.”
The reliefs sought by Obianuju before the panel are: payment of N100 million compensation to them by the Nigeria Police; and for the panel to prevail on the Police to release the remains of her late father for burial. The matter has been adjourned till January 27, 2021, for cross-examination.
