Tina Amanda
The Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry has adjourned to 7th December to continue its sitting, after hearing five petitions on Friday.
The Commission struck out petitiond filed by one Anthony Nnokeiwu for lack of jurisdiction and the petition of Burabari Gbole seeking an enforcement of ten million naira compensation judgement delivered by a competent Court on July, 2019, against Nigerian Police for reckless shooting at Bori, Khana local government area which damaged the petitioner’s right leg.
The petitioner prayed the panel to ensure justice by compelling the Nigerian Police to pay the compensation as ordered by a High Court to enable him undergo medical surgery on his severely injured leg.
Also, one Victoria Ebi Agori withdrew her petition from the State Judicial Commission of Inquiry as the matter is currently being heard before the Human Right Commission in Abuja.
Testifying before the Panel, Nnamdi Obi demanded justice over his commercial vehicle with registration number XC 345 JJT that was impounded since 2016 till date by Officers of Elimgbu Police station, in Obio Akpor local government area of the state.
According to him, the bus driver was involved in an accident along Igbo Etche junction in Etche local government area on February, 2016, which made the Police officers move the bus to the station. He stressed that all efforts and his countless visit to the Elimgbu Police station to reach the IPO in charge of the matter or the Divisional Police Officer DPO proved abortive.
“Since 2016 till date, nothing has been heard or said about my bus that I saw parked at the Elimgbu station on my first visit. I and family have gone through a lot of hardship, because the only means of income we had was terminated by the Nigerian Police.
“I sm demanding for justice and ten million naira compensation to enable me buy another bus, the former vehicle that Police Officers impounded unjustly was bought on hire purchase”
Another victim’s family, Obinna Anams, brother to late Chibuike Anams who was arrested and later killed sought for justice and compensation. He said they thought the deceased was missing only to get information that Police Operatives raided the area where they live and killed him.
“My brother Chibuike Anams who was 23 years old at that time and a student of Akwa Ibom State University, was arrested and killed by the police on 24th July, 2009.
“At first we thought he was missing, we reported the case to Umuebele police station but we still couldn’t find him.
“Through information we got to know that the area was raided by Officers of Elimgbu police station. When we got to the station, we saw two of his friends who were also arrested, they told us that the deceased was taken away in another Van” .
He told the panel that they later went to Forces Headquarters at Moscow Road, Port Harcourt to make a report but were told after inquiring from all the stations that late Chibuike Anams was not in the custody of the police.
“After visiting force headquarters with no positive result, we were then advised to check mortuaries, it could be they have killed him and didn’t want to admit it.
“The body of Chibuike Anams was found in Braite Memorial Hospital mortuary after many frantic attempts at searching for him. Till date the Police have not given a concrete explanation to why my late brother was killed like a common criminal.
“We demand justice, police must tell us the reason of arrest and murder of Chibuike Anams. We also want compensation to be paid”.
He however noted that no amount of money will be enough to pay for the death of his brother which led to the death of his father.
