Civil Society group to set up task force on extra judicial killing

David Ugolor

David Ugolor

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

David Ugolor
David Ugolor

Executive Director of Africa Network of Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), David Ugolor, has revealed plans by his organisation to set up a task force to monitor cases of extra judicial killings in the Niger Delta region.

Ugolor made the disclosure in Benin on Monday when members of the Network for Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria (NOCSON), paid a congratulatory visit to him on his recent appointment by the African Bar Association (AFBA) as its Senior Advisor on Corruption and Governance.

He said the task force became necessary due to the frequency of cases of extra judicial killings in Edo state in particular and other parts of the country, with the latest being the death of 26-years-old car dealer, Benson Obode while in police custody.

While calling on the governor of Edo state, Adams Oshiomhole, to fulfil his promise to set up a Public Defenders Agency to give legal aid to persons who have been victimised but lack financial resources for legal fees, Ugolor said all states in the Niger Delta would also be encouraged to set up a similar body to carry out a comprehensive data gathering of such cases in their respective states.

“We want this to be done so that we can avoid some of these killings. Few years ago, we had the case of Momodu a student of University of Benin who was killed by the police, and after much efforts by the civil society groups, it was revealed that he was killed, then there was the Uteh four which the commissioner of police claimed were armed robbers but after our intervention, it was clear that they were just farmers, we had a court injunction that they should be exhumed and after autopsy report, it was clear that they were shot directly by the police.

“Recently, we heard about the car dealer who was arrested by the police and killed. Then there is one that just happened in Oghara where a soldier killed the vigilance leader and claimed that he was dragging gun with him but autopsy report has just confirmed that he was shot directly, so there is incessant case of extra-judicial killings.

“We want to document of all these killings to be used for public advocacy and awareness creation so that those policemen and soldiers involved in this don’t go scot free because that will create the culture of impunity particularly when we are living in the era of unknown soldiers. We have established the Oghara Centre for Justice and Development, it is a local community organisation that will help to document police aggressions, military aggressions human rights abuses in the community and others,” Ugolor said.

Meanwhile, ANEEJ on behalf of the family of late Benson Ogedegbe, head of vigilante group that was allegedly shot dead by soldiers through Festus Keyamo Chambers, has petitioned the Chief of Army Staff over the killing, calling for a “comprehensive investigation into the activities of officers and men of the 19 Battalion, Koko, Delta state in the extra judicial killing of Benson Ogedegbe with a view to prosecuting culpable offenders and prevent breakdown of law and order in the Community.”

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