Family of slain UNIBEN undergraduate petitions Edo panel

The family of Ibrahim Momodu, an undergraduate of the University of Benin, who was allegedly killed on May 27, 2013, has written a petition to the Edo Judicial Panel of Inquiry on extra-judicial killings by police.

The family, in a the petition dated October 27 and filed by their counsel, Mr Jefferson Uwoghiren, urged the panel to investigate the role of retired CSP Carol Afegbai in Momodu’s death.

They also urged the panel to invite Afegbai, who was the Divisional Police Officer of Ogida Police Station at the time of the incident, and other policemen on duty on the day Momodu was reportedly shot to death, to explain their roles in the unfortunate incident.

Momodu was allegedly shot and killed on the allegation that he did not stop when a police patrol team ordered him to stop.

The police however claimed that the deceased was in possession of a gun, hence they shot him in self-defence.

He was said to have been buried in a public cemetery by the police without informing his family.

The development generated a public outcry, which led to his body being exhumed and former Cpl Amadin Idahosa, was later sentenced to life imprisonment for shooting Momodu to death.

The family is however demanding for the arrest and prosecution of all the policemen, said to be on duty and present during Momodu’s cold-blooded murder for their alleged complicity in the incident, while also asking to know the whereabouts of Cpl Idahosa in the aftermath of the recent jailbreak in Benin City.

They also demanded a N50 million compensation for the loss, emotional distress and grave injustice done to the bereaved family by agents of the government.

“We demand a public apology from the Nigeria Police Force for defaming the family of the deceased by calling them ‘parents of armed robbers and criminals’.

“We demand the renaming of the adjourning road and administrative block at Ogida Police Station, Benin City, after Momodu,” the family stated in its petition.

The family of the deceased further requested for the naming of a street on the Court premises in Edo after the legal practitioners providing services pro bono, “to abate extra-judicial killings and encourage access to justice by the poor and vulnerable”