Gbajabiamila and Okereke

By Muhaimin Olowoporoku

Ifeanyichukwu Okereke’s family, the vendor who was shot dead by a security aide to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has demanded N500 million for compensation.

Okereke’s family in a letter to the speaker dated November 23, 2020, demanded the compensation. The letter was signed by the lawyer of the family, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).

Ozekhome was asked to write the letter by the father of the deceased, Okorie Okereke; and the younger brother to the deceased, Destiny Okereke.

In the letter, Okereke’s family made three demands which must be met otherwise they take legal actions.

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The family demanded firstly that the speaker uses his good office to ensure the immediate prosecution of your security aide (Abdullahi Hassan), who shot the innocent and armless vendor.

“Our clients have instructed us to make from your good self, the following modest demands: That you use your good offices to ensure the immediate prosecution of your security aide (Abdullahi Hassan), who went on a frolic of his own, clearly acted outside the purview of his duty and responsibility by shooting to death an innocent, harmless and armless citizen, the letter read.

Secondly, they asked that the speakers compensate the Okereke family with a modest sum of N500m. The family stated that the money cannot adequately replace the deceased but will at least mitigate the trauma and hardship of his premature demise.

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Okereke’s family demanded lastly that the speaker ensure that the safety of vendors are guaranteed as they have become afraid to return to the streets since the tragic incident.

“Take note therefore that it is our clients’ firm instruction that in the event that you fail, refuse and/or neglect to accede to or proffer reasonable compensatory terms to our above modest demands within seven days from the date of this letter, we shall without any further correspondences from us, take appropriate legal steps to enforce our clients’ constitutional rights,” the letter stated.