Groups kick as Anambra boy dies in police custody

The Anambra State Police Stakeholders Partnership Forum and the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Center have expressed serious concern over the controversy surrounding the death of an Uchenna Okafor (male), who was reported to have died in the custody of the Anambra State Criminal Annex Investigation Department, Awkuzu, in December 2022.

The groups demanded that Anambra police openly reveal the teenager’s suspicious and controversial death and tell the public what really happened.

Okafor’s death in police custody was made public on January 9 by a social justice campaigner through his Twitter account, @Ada_mummyya.

The tweep claimed that Okafor was arrested for a ‘two fight’ case and taken to the police station on December 23, 2022.

It was reported that the parents of the deceased were asked to bring the sum of N150,000.00 to bail him, but six days after the arrest, when the parents of the deceased arrived at the station and inquired about their son, they were informed that Okafor had died.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Police Force, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who responded to the tweet, said he had asked Anambra State Police spokesperson DSP Tochukwu Ikenga to investigate the matter and get back to him.

Ikenga, responding to Adejobi’s tweet, said state police had launched an investigation into the “death of a suspected Uchenna Okafor, who died in detention”.

According to a statement made available to journalists on January 11, Ikenga also said the command had launched an investigation into the “death of a suspected Uchenna Okafor, who died in detention”.

Ikenga, said: “It is a case of armed robbery and not a case of ‘two fighting’ as claimed. The complainant positively identified the three suspects. There were traces of violence and serious injuries on the complainant’s body as a result of the attack by the suspects.

“The statements of the suspects have been recorded and they all have acquaintances. They were held in custody along with other suspects. The other suspects revealed while in custody that the late Uchenna started behaving abnormally while they slept.

“He screamed and hit his head against the wall before collapsing. The victim was taken to hospital and the doctor confirmed he was dead. No money was demanded or collected by the IPO or any police officer, as the late father confirmed.”

Ikenga therefore stated that police invited social justice advocate and Twitter user @Ada_mummyya for questioning after “he alleged that the trio (suspects) were asked to bring N50,000.00 each for bail”.

Police promised to perform an autopsy on the incident to determine Okafor’s cause of death, but so far, 18 days later, police have not heard from the police.

In separate statements signed by the Coordinator, PSPF, Anambra State Branch, Chris Azor, and Executive Director, RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, both groups accused the Anambra Police Department of torturing the boy to death.

The statement, which read in part, “Citizen Uchenna James Okafor: Suspicious death in Anambra police custody,” was made available to journalists in Awka on Sunday.

It read: “The Anambra Police Stakeholders Partnership Forum and the Rule of Law and Accountability, Advocacy Center are concerned that two weeks after the Anambra State Police Command public statement, no further information has been heard from the police and the parents of the victim.

“The story of the police and that of the Twitter account @Ada_mummyya are miles apart. One report claims ‘two fighting’; the police claim ‘armed robbery’.

“It is suspected that the victim was tortured to death. A transparent and credible autopsy will reveal the cause of death.

“We are aware that torture remains a common practice in the Nigeria Police Force, in violation of sections 35-37 of the new Police Act 2020, which prohibits torture, cruel and other degrading and inhumane treatment. Article 62 of the new Police Act 2020 also states that ‘an arrested person must be released within 24 hours with or without bail, except for a capital offense punishable by death’.

“Police accepted that Uchenna James Okafor was arrested on December 23, 2022 and died in their custody. There was a period of two weeks between the moment of Uchenna’s arrest and the moment the news of his death in detention broke.

“We support the fact that the police are charged with maintaining law and order and ensuring public safety. They are required to cooperate with the community and be accountable in fulfilling their duty.

“The Anambra State Police Command has not issued a public statement regarding the death of Uchenna James Okafor while in custody until the social justice campaigner tweeted out exposing the death. And the command of the Force PRO was necessary for the Anambra State command to make a statement about the incident.

“Even after the instruction of the Force Headquarters, it took the order of the Anambra State Police two (2) days to issue a press statement regarding the death in custody of Uchenna James Okafor. Could his death have been concealed? What action(s) did the police take when it was discovered that Uchenna died in their custody?

“The days run to weeks after the Anambra police command promised to perform an autopsy on the deceased. Stakeholders have yet to be notified of the outcome.

“Inquiries by media personnel about the contacts of the deceased, parents and relatives in particular, have been rejected by the police.

“During a visit by some journalists to the victim’s community, the traditional ruler pretended not to know about the incident. This is curious and indicates a likely cover-up and an attempt to suppress information and divert the public’s attention from the incident.

“We therefore call for a proper investigation into the arrest, detention, causes and circumstances surrounding the death in custody of Uchenna James Okafor.

“We demand that the Anambra Police Command make a public statement revealing, among other things, the identities of the other citizens arrested with the deceased, the state of their health and how far the police have gone in investigating the case, including the result. autopsy performed on the deceased.

“Investigate and bring to justice, if found guilty, police officers involved in the shady handling of the case of the late Uchenna James Okafor.”

Any attempt to get Anambra Police spokesman DSP Tochukwu Ikenga’s response to the development proved unsuccessful as repeated calls to his phone line went unanswered.

Text messages and WhatsApp messages to his telephone line were also not responded to at the time of submitting this report.