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The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mr.
Suleiman Abba has been petitioned
by the solicitors led by Chief Kanu Godwin Agabi (SAN) over
the alleged murder of a 22-year old boy, Douglas Ojugbo, by one Mr. Elewana
Godwin of River Basin Authority, 8 Miles Calabar, Cross River State capital, for
visiting his daughter, reports
ITRealms.
The incident reportedly occurred on March 10, 2015, according
to eyewitness account.
A copy of the petition of which were made available to
ITRealms was signed by Chidi Goodluck
Moses, a Legal Practitioner, on behalf of Barrister Oga Augustine Ojugbo, a
solicitor with Kanu Godwin Agabi chambers, shows that the deceased is known to
neighbors as a friend of the man's daughter, who sold his mini-laptop to her
but returned to collect the balance of his money when he met the untimely
death.
A neighborur who spoke on anonymity had alleged that Mr.
Elewana is a very dangerous man who in recent years has shot two other people
to death.
“The girl’s father had warned the small boy not to come near
the daughter again. That is what we were made to understand but the two of them
could not leave themselves, and we hear that it is because of that that the man
decided to kill the boy.
“On that fateful evening, we saw the man running after the
boy who was panting and running but the man caught up with him around the basin
authority gate in front of security personnel attached to the estate shooting
him in the process. After shooting him, he dragged him into his car and drove
off. All of us were running for our dear lives because like I said that man is
dangerous and everyone around know him for that,” the eye witness said.
Further investigations, revealed that Mr. Elewana shot
Douglas in the arm and later gave him another shot in the leg and allowed the
boy to bleed to death after bundling him into the car and drove the corpse to
the Federal Housing Police station in Calabar, Cross River State.
Authorities in the Federal Housing Police Station in Calabar
were reluctant to speak on the issue, claiming that it has shaken the police
personnel in the station terribly. A police officer in the station said that
they cannot say exactly what transpired between the DPO and Mr. Elewana when
the DPO ordered that the corpse of 22 year old Douglas which was driven into
the station by Mr. Elewana around to 5pm, be buried in a hurry by 8pm at Goldie
Cemetry without any autopsy or investigation and without verifying the parents
of the deceased.
A close family member, also disclosed that it was on the
March 12, 2015, after frantic search by parents and family members that Douglas
parents got wind that their son had been shot and driven to the Federal Housing
Police Station. On getting to the police station, the bereaved parents were not
only shocked to hear their son’s corpse has been buried without their consent,
the DPO also coerced the father into signing an undertaking not to let anybody
hear what happened nor make any complaint to any authority whatsoever.
But the bereaved father, Mr. Oga Augustine Ojugbo, a lawyer
with Kanu G. Agabi & Associates, said he later found that absurd and has since
petitioned the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 6,
Calabar and the National Human Rights Commission to investigate the cause of
his son’s death and bring those who killed the son to justice.
In his petition written, a copy of which is attached to this
report, Barrister Ojugbo refuted claims that the son was having an affair with
Mr. Elewana’s daughter. He said the son had sold his mini laptop to Mr. Elewana’s
daughter who made part payment and it was the balance the son went to collect when
he met his untimely death.
“The late Mr. Douglas Oga Augustine Ojugbo is my son, he is
22 years old. Sometimes this year, my son sold his used mini laptop to the daughter
of Mr. Elewana Godwin who leaves with him at his River Basin Authority home.
Mr. Elewana’s daughter (name is unknown to me at the moment), made a part
payment of the agreed sum leaving balance.
“My son in a bid to collect or recover the balance of his
money has been visiting the home of Mr. Elewana until he ran into Mr. Elewana
on his previous visits. Mr. Elewana not pleased with the boy’s presence
inquired or demanded to know what he was doing in his house. My son tried to
explain to Mr. Elewana of his transaction with his daughter. Mr. Elewana
without any effort to verify the boy’s story asked him to leave his house and
warned him never to visit his house again.
“My son was about leaving when Mr. Elewana’s daughter
cornered him and asked him to come on the 10th of March and collect the balance
of his money. On that faithful day, 10th of March, 2015 my son went to Mr.
Elewana’s house hoping to see his daughter as they agreed but unfortunately he
saw Mr. Elewana.
“Mr. Elewana upon sighting Douglas, my son ran into his room
and fetched his gun, late Douglas my son upon sighting Mr. Elewana with a gun
took to his heels to save his life. However, Mr. Elewana having made up his
mind to kill my son, pursued him until he caught up with late Douglas at the
gate of Basin Authority, a distance of a kilometer from his house where he shot
my son first on the leg as a result of which the late Douglas fell down and to
accomplish his goal, Mr. Elewana shot him the second time on the arm to make
sure that my son is dead.
“Furthermore, Mr. Elewana haven accomplished his goal
bundled the body of the late Douglas into his car and took same to the
Divisional Police Officer, DPO Federal Housing Police station. Mr. Elewana
Godwin conspired with the DPO Federal Housing Police station, Calabar Supol
Mike Ezenwenrem to get rid of the body of Mr. Douglas in order to conceal his
death. In furtherance of this agreement the Divisional Police Officer Federal
Housing police station and Mr. Elewana hurriedly went and buried the body of
the late Douglas in the night of 10th March at the Goldie cemetery, Calabar," part of the petition read.
Barrister Ojugbo added that the action of the DPO has cast
aspersions on the integrity of the police officer and left one in utter
astonishment as to what must have motivated the DPO to lean towards abating
such heinous crime.
“It is my opinion that this callous act of murder and
hurried burial cannot be swept under the carpet in other not to allow or
encourage other blood thirsty vampires’ feast on innocent souls.
“I strongly believe that the Commission is the proper body I
should complain to. I therefore call on the Commission to take whatever action
within the confines of the law with the view of ensuring that justice is not
only done but seen to be done to my family”.
The DPO of the federal housing police station has continued
to shield Mr. Elewana, from arrest and the alleged murderer still walks free in
Cross River State.
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