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Tag: son’s death

  • Umuahia family blames police for son’s death

    Police: we didn’t do it

    The family of slain student, Ikechukwu Vincent Uwagbaokwu, has petitioned the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Joshak Habila, on the killing of their son by armed men suspected to be policemen from the state command.

    In the petition through their counsel, Dr. Godwin Chionye, to the Commissioner of Police, the family accused the police of the gruesome murder of the twenty-one year-old student of Imo State Polytechnic.

    The petition reads in parts: “On the 10th of September, 2015, Mr Ikechukwu Vincent Uwagbaokwu, a Marketing Student of Imo Polytechnic went to bed at about 9:00 p.m. but at about 10:50 p.m. there were persistent banging on the door of the family house of the Uwagbaokwus.

    “When Mr Anthony Uwagbaokwe [brother of deceased] came out to see who was banging on their door, he saw about ten fierce men in police uniform who had taken strategic positions in all the surrounding of the house.

    “One of the men in uniform who came with Hilux pick up van and black Camry Saloon Car, hit the door of one of the occupants [names withheld] and forced it open, and when the occupant came out, the men in police uniform, who refused to identify themselves, said that he was not the person that they were looking for.

    “The police went to the direction pointed to by the man they first met who allegedly directed them to the place they were looking for, and the armed policemen forced the wooden door open and on sighting Ikechukwu Vincent Uagbaokwu, one of the policemen shot him and he died immediately.

    “Our clients raised the alarm but nobody came to their rescue. The matter was reported to Ehimiri Police Station in whose jurisdiction this area falls, but the police could not give any useful assistance as they deny sending policemen out on that day to effect any arrest.”

    The family’s lawyer said that after the incident, his client reported the matter to the Ehimiri Police Station where the Divisional Police Officer [DPO] gave them an order to deposit the deceased at Madonna Mortuary in Umuahia.

    In his reaction, father of the deceased, Mr. Emmanuel Uwagbaokwu

    said: “I am not suspecting, but those who killed my son were policemen from Ehimiri Police Station, Umuahia.”

    The 54 year-old house builder who was crying said: “Immediately I reported the matter to Ehimiri Police Station and the DPO there denied sending his men to duty to that area that night, however (he) ordered some police team to follow us to the scene of the incident. On the way, the team dodged us and they did not reach our house.”

    He called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, to order for full investigation in order to unravel the killers of his son. “My son Ugochkwu who was sleeping at the corridor allegedly heard when one our neighbours [names withheld] showed them Ikechukwu’s room.”

    Reacting to the allegation in a chat over the telephone, the State Police Public Relations Officer [PPRO] Ezekiel Onyeke denied the involvement of the police in the killing of the student.

  • Mark, governors, Saraki condole with El-Rufai on son’s death

    Mark, governors, Saraki condole with El-Rufai on son’s death

    Senate President David Mark yesterday commiserated with former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and his family on the death of his son, Hamza, in an auto crash in Abuja.

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media, Kola Ologbondiyan, the Senate President said he received the news of Hamza’s death with shock and pains.

    Mark said the deceased had a bright future and vision, which would have been needed to contribute to the socio-economic and political development of Nigeria.

    He said: “It is sad that a promising Hamza, with a very bright future ahead, died in his prime. We cannot question the will of the All-Knowing Almighty creator. We can only pray that Almighty Allah grant him eternal rest and give the immediate family the fortitude to bear this loss.”

    Mark implored the bereaved family to take solace in the fact that death is a necessary end that must come to every mortal.

    He urged the family to strengthen their faith with Almighty God, adding: “This is one of the challenges and mysteries of our existence as humans because nobody knows the time and the date death would come.”

    Also, Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and the senator representing Kwara Central, Dr Olusola Saraki, have commiserated with Mallam El-Rufai, on the death of Hamza.

    The governors expressed sadness over the young El-Rufai’s death and prayed God to strengthen the bereaved family.

    Through a statement yesterday in Owerri, the state capital, by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor sent his “heartfelt condolences” to the chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the death of his son in an auto crash last Tuesday in Abuja.

    The statement said: “The news of the untimely death of the young El-Rufai in a motor accident while in Nigeria on holiday from his base in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he was a student, came to the governor as a rude shock and, to say the least, most unfortunate.

    “Okorocha asked the APC chieftain to look at what happened from the angle that if God did not want it to happen, it would not have happened.

    “The Imo governor prayed that God should grant Hamza El-Rufai eternal rest. He also prayed God to grant the father and the entire El-Rufai family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

    Fashola expressed deep shock at the incident.

    In a condolence message to the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, the governor said Hamza’s death is painful, especially when considered that he was a young man with a promising future.

    He added that the death was also saddening and regrettable because Hamza was poised to contribute to the development of his fatherland after concluding his education.

    In a statement yesterday in Ikeja, by his Specail Adviser on Media, Mr Hakeem Bello, the governor prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed.

    Fashola urged Mallam El-Rufai to take solace in the words of the Holy Qur’an that Allah gives and takes away.

    He also prayed Almighty Allah to grant the former minister and his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

    Ahmed, in a statement yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, described Hamza’s death as painful, unfortunate and shocking.

    The governor noted that Hamza was a young man with huge potentials to contribute to national development.

    He prayed God to grant the El-Rufai family the fortitude to bear the impact of the death and the deceased eternal rest.

    Saraki expressed shock over Hamza’s death.

    In a statement yesterday, the senator said he was saddened about the death of the young El-Rufai.

    He said: “My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time as they struggle through this period of shock and grief.

    “I pray that Almighty Allah will grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus. I also pray that Allah grants the family the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss during this difficult time. May the love of those around them help the family through the days ahead.”

  • Man petitions IGP over son’s death

    Man petitions IGP over son’s death

    A father, Chief Raheem Badmus, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police(IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, for the alleged killing of his son, Oluwatobi at ‘B’ Division Police Station in Akure, the Ondo state capital.

    In the petition by his lawyer, Badmus said his only son died as a result from injuries sustained when in police custody over allegation of stealing a handset.

    Badmus said the death of his son rattled him as the boy was hale and hearty.

    Badmus urged the IGP to probe the death to bring the perpetrators to book.

    The Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), Wole Ogodo, said the Area Commander in charge had commenced investigation.