Friday, June 03, 2011
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•Tochukwu’s lifeless bodyPhoto: Sun News Publishing |
When Tochukwu Uzoukwu arrived in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, in April 2011, he was full of high hopes of a bright future after he might have served his master, Gideon Ezekwem, faithfully for the mandatory years. Born 25 years ago, Uzoukwu, from Umuduruejike community in Isiala Umuozu, Nwangele Local Government area of Imo state Nigeria, has had his dreams shattered. Sadly, Tochukwu is no more.
His hopes have been truncated allegedly by operatives of the dreaded Operation Famou Tangbei who were said to have taken custody of Tochukwu after a certain Sergeant Benjamin had handed him over to them after he was reportedly caught smoking a substance suspected to be Indian hemp.
Investigations by Daily Sun revealed that shock, disbelief and embarrassment were the expressions on the faces of men of the Bayelsa State Police Command, as their investigations have confirmed that actually the OFT operatives were involved in the killing of Tochukwu
Victor Ezekwem, a cousin to the deceased, in an interview, explained that the family would not rest until his killers are brought to book.
He told this reporter: “I am an Igbo man from Umduruejike community in Isi-Alaumuozu Nwangela Local government area of Imo state. This sad incident that led to the death of Tochukwu happened between 6.00pm and 7.00pm on Wednesday, May 11, 2011. I got to know about it when a police officer, Sergeant Benjamin called me on phone, telling me that he had caught one of my boys who was smoking at the time of his arrest. He told me that one of his colleagues went to the toilet at the Shellram waterside, Swali, and saw smoke coming out from one of the rooms and traced it to the boy, Tochukwu Uzuokwu, and that the boy was in his custody as he was speaking with me.
I pleaded with him to please take it easy with the boy until I came to see him. I also told him that that particular boy was an apprentice to my younger brother and that my younger brother was not in town. The next thing was that my relations called me and told me that many people had gathered at the waterside, around the scene of crime. They informed me that Operation Famou Tangbei had killed the boy.” According to an eyewitness, he was led to the river and commanded to raise his hands up, say his last prayers and jump into the river. Sensing that the end had come, he pleaded frantically that they should spare his life as he was Igbo and could not swim.
Otolo Ifeanachor continued the story: “I am just about 18 years old now, and I am an Igbo boy. I am one of the vigilantes here engaged by the traders to watch over their stores. I witnessed what happened to the deceased, Tochukwu on that fateful day. It occurred just before the day got dark, between 6.30 and 7.00pm. I saw the policemen of Operation Famou Tangbei when they dragged the late Tochukwu to the waterside, holding him firmly by his shorts. And I heard the boy saying, ‘I don’t know, I am innocent.’ Before this time, a certain police officer had handed him over to these very Operation Famou Tangbei policemen that they should take care of the boy. It was after they had kept him for a brief period in their van that they dragged him down to the waterside. And they ordered him to say his last prayers.
Tochukwu then said in Igbo that, ‘if God says I will die today I will die.’ The police then told him to run into the river. The boy told them he didn’t know how to swim. But they threatened him and forced him to jump into the river at gun point. Many people watched while this thing was happening. From where I was watching, I saw the boy’s hand come up about three times before he finally drowned. Some persons wanted to go and assist the drowning boy, but everybody was afraid of the gun the policemen were using to threaten everybody. Then, as the policemen were leaving the scene, I heard them talking. One of them said it might be true that the boy didn’t know how to swim. Another one said: “It is false. He knows how to swim and must have hidden himself in the water. I told you people that we should shoot him, but you have allowed him to escape.”
Gideon Ezekwem, who is the direct boss to the deceased, said there are eyewitnesses who are ready to testify whenever the case gets to court. “I am Gideon Ezekwem, a cousin to the deceased and I brought him to Yenagoa about a month ago to assist me in my business. We are from Umuduruejike community in Isiala Umuozu, Nwangele Local Government area of Imo State of Nigeria. I was not in town when the incident happened, though I was on my way to Yenagoa that same day. There are eyewitnesses who told me what actually happened and are willing to testify anywhere as to what they saw. My relations have also come from home to confirm the incident.”
Since the body of Tochukwu was discovered five days later and moved to the Federal Medical Centre mortuary amidst chanting of war songs by people who witnessed his murder, his alleged killers have been threatening Ezekwem.
According to the Ezekwem brothers, threat text messages have been sent to their phones by unknown callers warning them to desist from pursuing the matter. The people of Umuduruejike community are also not taking it lightly. Checks indicated that the community has concluded plans to send a delegation to the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police to demand the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the death of their son.
The Civil Liberties Organization, (CLO), in a letter signed by Flint-Williams Odonmini and Alagoa Morris, state vice-chairman and secretary respectively, has called for a probe of the incident as well as the immediate arrest, investigation and prosecution of all those found culpable in the death of Tochukwu.
It advised the Commissioner of Police that depending “on the way your office handles this case, the CLO might have no option than joining other interested groups and members of the public to seek justice in the court of law.”
Victor Ezekwem added that aside bringing those who killed Tochukwu to book, the police authorities and the Bayelsa State government should pay compensation to the family.
Sources said the leadership of the Bayelsa Police Command was deeply worried about the incident, especially when its homicide division carried out an independent investigation and discovered that Tochukwu was indeed killed. Though a new commander, Aniete Eyoh Akpan, has assumed duties at OFT and has commenced a re-organization of the security outfit, Bayelsans are insisting that his reforms and re-organization would amount to nothing if those who led Tochukwu to his death are not apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law.
All efforts to get the official reaction of the OFT were unsuccessful. but a senior official assured that the incident would be investigated.
Source : Sun Newspaper
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