WARRI – The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR has called on the Delta State Police Commissioner, CP Mohammad Mustafa and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to order a full scale investigation in to the killing of one of their members, Comrade Christian Njoku by men of the Ekpan Police Division, in Warri, Delta State.
Addressing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists’ (NUJ) Press Center in Warri , Wednesday, Delta State Chairman of CDHR, Comrade Kehinde Prince Taiga, accompanied by the Secretary, Isreal Joe , other members of the group and the younger brother of the deceased, Uche Njoku allegedlate Christian Njoku was shot dead by men from the Ekpan Police Station in front of Church of God Mission International (Praise Center) along Jakpa Road on Monday night, in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area at about 9pm.
The late Christian Njoku, 35years, and an indigene of Ebonyi State was said to have left his fiancee at home ( less than 1kilometer from where he was shot ) to quickly dash out to buy something when he met his untimely death.
According to CDHR Chairman, Christian who was the eldest son of his parents, was driving alone in his Toyota Solara with registration number LSD 561 BC adding that the Police after they shot and killed Christian took his corpse to the Warri Central Hospital Mortuary, ordered the morticians to stitch his chest where they had shot him.
He said when asked by the mortuary attendants the name of the Police officers, they ( The Police) refused to disclose their identities but only dropped a phone number which later proved to be the number of one Sergeant Wilson.
Taiga decried the continued onslaught against CDHR members by the Police because of their campaign against human rights abuses often perpetrated by members of the Police Force; he alleged that the shooting of Christian was deliberate.
According to Taiga, CDHR ,has carried out their own investigation by going to the area and they found out that there was no robbery incident there, adding that no armed robber would go robbing with his personal car,saying that the police killed Christian deliberately only to tag him an armed robber , so as to cover up the heinous the police have commuted.
He alleged that the Police have threatened to take his ( Taiga) life and that of members of the CDHR several times when ever they get them in any quiet place.
“Christian’s father is a well known shoes dealer here in Warri. Christian is an active member of CDHR, how can somebody go and rob with international passport on him? How can the police say, he was an armed robber who went to rob with a one-door car ( Toyota Solara) and while the other members fled, he could not run. ”
“We all know how it is to alight a one door car from the back seat…. so,the people at the back were now faster than the one in front? ” He queried.
Taiga said their activities at the CHDR particularly “The bail is free ” campaign has continued pitch its members against the Police.
” Police at Ovwian also shot one of our members two weeks ago adding that, three days ago, also threatened to kill our women leader.” He alleged.
Contacted, the Delta State Acting Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Andrew Aniamaka said the allegations cannot be true noting that,”Police don’t kill human rights activists. ”
DSP Aniamaka explained that,”We need them in our work. We are in the best of terms with the people.
According to him it was a case of armed robbery ,”There were four armed men in a black Toyota Solara car that was intercepted by our men on patrol along Jakpa Road, immediately they saw the police, they opened fire. In the gun duel, three of the young men escaped and one was shot and later died on the way to the hospital. A locally made cut to size gun was recovered with two live cartridges and an infinix phone ”
Aniamaka added that investigation is on going and efforts are on to apprehend the other fleeing members of the gang.
