The Divisional
Police Officer (DPO) of Ogida station, CSP Carol Afegbai, has denied
firing the shot that killed alleged final year student of University of
Benin, Ibrahim Momodu, on May 27th during a stop and search in Benin.
(If you missed the story, read it http://lindaikeji.blogspot.com/2013/06/protest-in-benin-after-police-kill-and.html)
In a press statement released recently, CSP Afegbai said a Russian made
double barrel gun with 8 rounds of cartridges, 2 loaded in the gun, were
found on Ibrahim (pictured above). Ibrahim's family and friends are
protesting his death, denying claims he was an armed robber. Ibrahim was
shot on the 27th of May and buried the next day by the police without
his family being informed.
The Governor of Edo State, Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the Inspector
General of Police, have ordered probe into the case to unravel the real
circumstances that led to the killing.
Read CSP Carol Afegbai's side of the story after the cut...
CSP Carol Afegbai
The Nigerian Police,
Ogida Division,
Benin City.
The On the 27th of May, 2013, at about
22:30
hours, I was on a routine check along with my orderly PC Amadi Idahosa
at night. Getting to my patrol vehicle along Siloku road by Obayuwana
junction, I parked and was there watching my men doing their stop and
search. At that time they stopped a motor-cycle who refused to stop,
eventually the bike stopped. They were two on the bike, the rider and
the suspected armed
robber.
Unknown to Corporal Ubi, the passenger on the bike, the alleged Ibrahim
Momodu was armed with a Russian made cut to size double barrel gun with 8
rounds of cartridges, 2 loaded in the gun,
with one blackberry, one Nokia handset and a charger in his bag. At this
Juncture, the passenger reached into the bag he was carrying to pull
out the weapon. My orderly rushed to meet them to save the life of the
corporal. The rider pushed the bike to the ground and took to his heels
and my orderly PC Amadi Idahosa fired at them as they tried to flee.
At this time it was irrelevant whether the suspected armed robber was a
student or not, because it was at a late hour and he was armed. The
rider of the Motor Cycle who had escaped had gone to alert
the fellow cultists who were threatening to invade the station to
collect the corpse, so the local government was contacted and they are
the people that went ahead to bury him. I was not present and did not
supervise the burial of the criminal.
There is a ban on motorcycles in Edo state that states motorcycles are not allowed on the streets after
7:30
and that was why the motor-cycle was stopped. The University of Benin
has released a statement saying that Ibrahim Momodu was not a registered
student presently with the University.
The reciepts of payment of fees that was being shown was actually forged
and was that of Juliet Ogiadumen a student of UNIBEN with Ibrahim
Momodu's picture superimposed on it. My orderly who shot is presently
assisting the state CID, with information in relation to the case.
