5th January, 2021
By Jethro Ibileke/Benin
The traditional head of Imiakebu community, Etsako East local government area of Edo state, Chief Ugheiemhekhia Kareem Yahaya, has alleged that the Divisional Police Officer of Agenebode, SP John Agaga, murdered five youths in his community, on 28 December, 2019.
Chief Yahaya made the allegation when he appeared before the Edo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for victims of SARS and related abuses on Tuesday.
He gave the names of the victims as: Sabo Abacha, Garuba Shaka, Sunday Augustine, Isaac John and Sunday Junior.
Yahaya is demanding for financial compensation for the five victims of police brutality to the tune of N50 billion, and also N50 million compensation each for five of them who he alleged were wrongfully detained at the state police command for two days.
The community head also asked the panel to compel the police officer to release the bodies of the slain youths to their families for befitting burial rites.
He also called for the redeployment of the police officer, SP John Agaga, from the community noting that his presence in the community still a potential threat to them all.
Counsel to the petitioners, Kami Asunogie, said the incident occurred when police intervened in a conflict between Imiakebu and Isiuku communities in Etsako East local government area of the state, under the jurisdiction of the police station in Aganebode.
He alleged that the DPO came into the community, on the said date, between 12:30 and 12:45, and killed the five youths under five minutes that he was in his village.
He further alleged that the police abandoned their bodies, and that it was the military that came to take the bodies to the mortuary with the assistance of the people of the local community.
Asunogie said up till today, every attempt to seek justice has been resisted by the DPO himself while the remains of the slain youths are begin kept by the police.
“We have come to this panel to seek for justice. The bodies of our youths that were killed, have to be released to us for burial.
“They have been in the morgue since December 2019. It is the DPO that is keeping them.
“We want compensation for our community. Those persons, have relations, and, they must be compensated.
“Just for being present and waiting for an address for their village heads. They have no reason for killing them,” he said.