Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
Mr. Ekata Ogbeide from Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), over alleged murder of their son, Fidelis Ekata, by the Nigerian police, whom they said was an armed robber and a prison escapee.
The police authority had, at a press conference in Benin City, in 2022, said it killed Ekata, on March 2, 2022, at Oklenlen road, Uromi, describing him as a wanted notorious armed robber.
Besides, the command had alleged then that the deceased had, also, escaped from the correctional facility in Benin, during the October 2020 nationwide “End SARS” protest.
But the Ekata family, in their petition to the Inspector General of Police, through their lawyer, Mr C .M Uche-Enwere, dated August 8, 2023, denied the police allegations against their son.
The family, in the petition which was received by the police authority on August 15, and made available to newsmen, yesterday, in Benin, denied that their late son was neither an armed robber nor a prison escapee.
It described the murder of Fidelis as extrajudicial killing by the police and demanded a retraction of all the allegations as was published, which the family said was falsehood.
In addition, the family is demanding payment of N200 million compensation for the loss and trauma being suffered by the family, warning that failure by the police authority to comply would result in legal action.
Interestingly, an official letter from the Correctional Centre in Benin, with reference MSCC.155/Vol.11/225, denied that the late Ekata was ever in its custody.
The letter signed by Idemudia P., a Superintendent of Correction, read: ”I am directed to inform you that Fidelis Ekata (who is now deceased), from our records, was not remanded in our custodial centre, nor did he escape from custody.”
The Ekata family petition reads in part: “Consequent to the unlawful killing of the said Fidelis Ekata, the family has suffered setbacks, severe loss and traumatised to the detriment of their health due to the fact that he was the breadwinner of the family.
“That it is premised on the sad loss and unanticipated death of Fidelis Ekata, that we write that his family be indemnified by way of compensation to the tune of N200,000,000.00, for the wrongful killing, loss and trauma being suffered by his dependant.”
“The family implores the police to delete all libellous publications that indicated that Fidelis Ekata was an armed robber, as the allegation is founded on falsehood. It is injurious to the family, particularly his children, who may grow up with such false and deleterious blemishes being placed on their deceased father.
“That should you fail, refuse or neglect to compensate our client to the tune of N200 million, we shall be forced to institute legal action in the court to enforce the rights of the deceased and the family members”.