The family of the human rights activist, and member of the Delta state Committee for Defense of Human Right (CDHR), Mr. Christian Njoku who was allegedly murdered in cold blood in Ekpan area of Warri, by some policemen attached to the Ekpan Division of the Nigerian Police, has cried out for justice, tasking the police authority to make sure that a proper and unbiased investigation is carried out to the ascertain the true circumstances surrounding the brutal murder of their son.
In a petition addressed to the Delta state commissioner of police, Mr. Muhammadu Mustafa, signed by the deceased brother Mr. Uche Njuko, on behalf of the family, obtained by HardReporters, alleged that the deceased was murdered by the Police patrol team led by one Sergeant Wilson Mensah due to some previous grievances he had with them in the past during the course of the victim’s doing his legitimate assignment as a human right activist.
The family while accusing the police of having severally warned the victim to stay off their path or he will be crushed, also alleged that some cash which was a four days sales from the victim’s father shop which was supposed to be paid into their customers accounts was with their late brother on the night he was killed and could not be accounted for.
Also, the state chairman of Committee for Defense of Human Right (CDHR), Mr. Kehinde Taiga has vowed that CDHR will follow the case of the gruesome murder of their member, Mr. Christian Njoku by the police to a logical conclusion.
Mr. Taiga, disclosed that CDHR, carried out their own investigation by going to the area and they found out that there was no robbery incident as claimed by the police, adding that no armed robber would go robbing with his personal car, saying that the police killed Christian deliberately only to tag him an armed robber, so as to cover up the heinous crime the police have committed.
The state chairman of CDHR, alleged that the Police had threatened to take his (Taiga) life and that of members of the CDHR several times when ever they get them in any quiet place.
“Christian’s father is a well known shoes dealer here in Warri. Christian is an active member of CDHR, how can somebody go and rob with international passport on him? How can the police say, he was an armed robber who went to rob with a one-door car ( Toyota Solara) and while the other members fled and could not run.
“We all know how it is to alight a one door car from the back seat so, the people at the back were now faster than the one in front?. Our activities at the CHDR particularly “The bail is free ” campaign has continued to pitch our members against the Police. Police at Ovwian also shot one of our members two weeks ago, three days ago also they threatened to kill our women leader.” He alleged.
When contacted, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Andrew Aniamaka confirmed the incident and claimed that the facts before the Police remain that the victim was an armed robbery suspect but however stated that a proper investigation will be carried out to ascertain the true position of things.
It will be recalled that on the 18 of June, 2018, late Christian Njoku, 35 years, and an indigene of Ebonyi State was said to have left his fiancee at home, less than 1 kilometer from where he was shot, to quickly dash out to buy something when he met his untimely death.