Nigeria police face N1billion suit over killing of two brothers in Uvwie

By: Omonigho Matthew & Arinze….
From: Udu

The Forum of Justice and Human Rights Defense is set to file a suit of one billion naira against the police patrol team in Ekpan over the dastardly killing of two brothers, Collins Ese Onaodowan, a 25year old Corper serving in Gombe State and his younger brother of 23years, Owen Onaodowan.

The brutal incident according to the National Coordinator of the Forum for Justice and Human Right Defense, Barr. Oghenejabor Ikimi took place Monday August 16, 2010.

Barr. Oghenejabor Ikimi who spoke during a press briefing held at Peabody Hotel in Udu near Warri, alleged that on Thursday the 19th day of August 2010, one Mr. Kelvin Onaodowan and his family members came to the office to report a case of the dastard murder of his two brothers, Collins Ese Onaodowan who had just completed his NYSC Orientation at Gombe State and Owen Onaodowan by the police patrol team in Ekpan, Uvwie local government area of Delta State.

He alleged that the two boys left their mother at home at about 8pm to watch a football match between Manchester United and Newcastle. On reaching their aunt’s place at 41 Okorotobo Street they discovered she was not connected to the live transmission, they later went to a viewing centre at Okotoba Street, while they were going, their elder brother, a Chelsea fan who is lucky to be alive today decided he was not going to watch the match any longer. He then left at that point and returned home. At about 10pm that night, Kelvin got a call from a church member that men of the Nigerian Army manning the Power Holding Company substation had arrested his brothers.

He immediately alerted his sisters and parents and they all left their Alaka residence to the PHCN substation where they saw their brothers’ stripped nude. As the father was trying to explain to the police who they were, one of the policemen who led the team, popularly addressed as Dogo allegedly used the gun to hit the mouth of father of the two brothers, Mr. Augustine Onoadowan and his teeth fell out of his mouth. Prior to this time, the Corper had reportedly identified himself with his NYSC identity card, badge and boot on him. As if that was not enough the boys went into the police van voluntarily without coercion and they drove off. Kelvin their elder brother alongside one of their cousin, Clementina followed them to the police station in Ekpan. But when the police went violent they had to leave their brothers.

Barr. Ikimi also alleged that when they asked about the lifeless body of the two brothers, the D.P.O confirmed to him that they have been buried.

He said the Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defense had to call the press conference to alert the Nigerian populace. “We call on other human right groups in Nigeria to unite with us to condemn the dastardly killing of Collins Ese Onaodowan, a youth Corper serving in Gombe State and Owen Onaodowan by the police patrol team in Ekpan to be specific and their subsequent burial”. According to the human right activist, this goes to show that the police acted as investigators, prosecutors, judge and the prosecution.

He called on the Inspector General of Police to look critically into the matter, adding that the Forum of Justice and Human Rights Defense will take the case beyond Nigeria up to the United Nations. Fresh Angle can report that the legal department of the forum has vowed to take the matter to court, stressing that they will not rest on their oars until those responsible face the full wrath of the law.

Barr. Ikimi explained that when he called the Divisional Police Officer, Muaza Mohammed, he said the two brothers were armed robbers, claiming that they died due to the beating they got from the soldiers and on their way to the hospital.

Father of the two deceased, Mr. Augustine Onaodowan described the soldiers as disciplined personnel, having held his children and delayed them without injury to anyone of them. But the act of the police, he said is barbaric. In his words, “the police who are supposed to ensure that the law is carried out to the fullest are now the ones flouting the law without carrying out any investigation on the youth Corper who was even with his identity card, badge and boot on him that night of 16th August 2010.

He said the police threatened to shoot him before teeth were removed from his mouth with a gun. He testified that his children had not gotten any incidence with the police prior to their unfortunate death. He also claimed that his cousin went with him to approach the police but was threatened. So he stepped aside and in their presence, the children entered the police van without anyone aiding them straight to the police station at Ekpan.

He continued “we followed them from behind, because we wanted to be sure we know where they were going to. So we had to leave and follow up the matter the following morning. Only for us to go there the following morning and met the absence of the Divisional Police Officer. We looked at the canter and charge book but they were not there”. He said as they were about going out, his uncle, Chief Steven Onaodowan who knows the D.P.O approached him and was told that the boys were seriously bruised so he had to order his men to take them to the hospital. “We were confused and had to go to the Army Command and met the Intelligent Officer who told us that his men told him that the boys were handed over to the police. They claimed that they were armed robbery suspects. But at the time we got there, there was no gun or bullet with them”. He said the story he heard from the soldiers was that the four boys came there from a robbery incident and that one was putting on coat and the other wearing something he didn’t understand and in the process a soldier man was shot in his lap and Collins Onaodowan and Owen Onaodowan were suspected to be one of them.

Mr. Augustine Onaodowan said at about 4pm they went back to the Divisional Police Officer who admitted that he ordered his men to take them to the hospital. The D.P.O allegedly confirmed to him that the boys were killed at night and were buried. He said the D.P.O puts it this way, “I cannot continue to deceive you, these boys were killed, last night and they have been buried”, continuing, Mr. Augustine Onaodowan and his uncle demanded for the dead bodies of the boys. Again, he said they have been buried without any permission or investigation.

He named the particular police who pulled his teeth with gun as “Dogo”, claiming he is the one who led the team of policemen that night from Ekpan. He also said that he wants the policemen responsible to face the full wrath of the law.

Meanwhile, a cross section of parliamentarians who also spoke with our Correspondent said the National Youth Service Corp should file a suit alongside the Forum for Justice and Human Right Defense against the police in Ekpan, their reason was that the NYSC should learn to take the lives of its members seriously, while a few Manchester fans said if they have their way they will like to file a separate suit against the police in Ekpan to ensure they are brought to book.