The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ibrahim Momodu

  • Policeman gets life sentence for killing varsity student

    A police corporal, Amadin Idahosa, was on Monday sentenced to life imprisonment for killing a 22-year old student of the University of Benin, Ibrahim Momodu.

    Momodu was shot dead in 2013 while returning home and the police paraded him as a commercial bus driver terrorising residents of Textile Mill Road and its environs.

    Another version of the incident given to the family by police was that the deceased was caught in a robbery scene and killed in a gun duel, while a third version was that Momodu snatched a bag and ran into a team of policemen on patrol before he was shot.

    After several protests by civil society organization, his corpse was exhumed and a post mortem examination showed that Momodu was shot on the back.

    The police corporal was arraigned on one count charge bothering on murder and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    ‎An official from the state Department of Public Prosecution, M. O. Omozeghian, had during the trial told the court that the offence was punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code Cap. 48, Vol. II, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, as applicable in Edo State.

     

  • Police lied on slain UNIBEN student – Pathologists

    The preliminary reports of the pathologists who examined the exhumed remains of the University of Benin student, Ibrahim Momodu, showed that he was shot from the back with three bullets, which torn his heart, before exiting through the upper part of his chest.

    The reports, according to the Counsel to Momodu’s family, Barr. Jefferson Uwoghiren, showed that the police lied when they claimed that the deceased was caught with a Russian made cut to size gun.

    Uwoghiren, who rejected the irregular procedure of the police, demanded that the DPO of Ogida Police station, Mrs. Carol Afegbai and other members of her patrol team be immediately charged for murder and conspiracy to murder an innocent person.

    He said, “We the solicitors to the family of Ibrahim Momodu, the student killed by the DPO of Ogida police station, Benin note with concern and dismay attempts by the police authority in Edo State to obfuscate the legal process of bringing the accused DPO, Mrs. Afegbai and members of her patrol team to trial, by delivering report of the police investigation on the murder of Ibrahim Momodu to the Director of Public Prosecution without first charging the accused police officers to court.

    “The family also reject attempt by the police authority to exonerate the DPO because of her high rank and gender but is happy to sacrifice her orderly, even when the DPO had severally claimed to have personally pulled the trigger, an action that is consistent with her known sadistic conducts in the Ogida area of Benin City.”

     

  • Edo police awaits DPP advice on ‘killer DPO’

    The police in Edo State on Friday said it is awaiting the advice from the Director of Public Prosecution in the state for necessary action on the controversial killing of a 22- year old University of Benin student Ibrahim Momodu by the police patrol team.

    The state commissioner of Police, Folusho Adebanjo, at a press briefing said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ogida Police Station, Carol Afegbai, who was leading the patrol team on that fateful day and her orderly, Amadin Idahosa have been redeployed “to facilitate further investigation.”

    Besides, Adebanjo said the ban on commercial motorcyclist as from 7 pm remained in force in the state.

    He, however, appealed to the people of the state and particularly students of UNIBEN to remain calm as the police move to investigate the allegation that the late Momodu was in possession of a gun when he was shot by the patrol team.

    “The Command is also using this medium to re-affirm its commitment to non-acceptance of extra judicial killing. Anything that leads to death other than through a judicial pronouncement and circumstances as contained in the Force Order 237 will not be acceptable.

    “It is not in dispute that the police shot the late Ibrahim Momodu to prevent his escape though he later died. It is true that every incident or story has more than one side. Therefore, the responsibility of the police in this crucial incident is to establish the fact with an objective mind as contained in our rules of engagement, “ the police commissioner said.

     

  • Edo to probe UNIBEN student’s killing

    Edo to probe UNIBEN student’s killing

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole has promised to set-up a judicial commission of inquiry to probe the killing of a 500-level student of the University of Benin, Ibrahim Momodu, by policemen.

    Ibrahim, who was in the department of Laboratory Science at the university, was allegedly shot by a team of policemen led by the DPO of Ogida Division, Mrs. Carol Afegbua.

    Oshiomhole said the state government would do everything possible to unravel the circumstances leading to the killing of Ibrahim.

    He spoke when members of civil society groups, students, family members and the family legal team took a protest letter to his office on Tuesday.

    The governor said the corpse of Ibrahim would be exhumed for examination to determine the possible cause of death.

    He condoled with the family of the deceased, assuring that the state government would not allow any unlawful killings in the state.

    Lawyer to the family, Jefferson Uwoghiren, in the letter said Ibrahim was hurriedly buried by the police “to obscure evidence of the illegal killing.”

    The letter reads in parts, “Arising thereof, we demand an urgent exhumation of the body for a proper inquest to determine manner and cause of death.”

    “We demand the immediate suspension and arrest of Mrs. Carol Afegbua, the DPO of Ogida Police Station who carried out the killing.”

     

  • UNIBEN student was killed in self defence – Police

    Edo State Police Command on Tuesday said the slain University of Benin student, Ibrahim Momodu, was killed in self defence.

    Ibrahim was killed on May 27 by policemen from the Ogida Division and was buried in suspicious circumstances.

    His relatives were not aware of his death until two days later.

    The mother of the victim, Osas Okungbowa has petitioned the Inspector- General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, demanding investigation into the killing of her only son.

    Students and members of civil society organisation took to the streets of Benin City on Monday, protesting what they called extra-judicial killing.

    The police in its first official reaction to the killing said Ibrahim was shot while attempting to bring out a Russian made cut to size double barrel gun.

    The police in a statement said, “Operatives at Ogida Division led by the DPO while on a routine patrol within the area intercepted a cyclist and another with an unregistered motor-cycle at Obayuwana junction in SIluko Road.”

    “The suspect immediately brought out a Russian made cut to size double barrel gun but policemen noticing his action responded swiftly and shot at the suspect later known to be Ibrahim Momodu who died on his way to the hospital.”