Police Allegedly Murdered Father Of 10 In Anambra
The wife of a security merchant, Gladys Kelikuma said her husband late Ernest, was allegedly murdered by men of the Nigeria Police, Fegge Police Station, Anambra State, after he received a call from an unidentified Investigating Police Officer (IPO) over the arrest of an armed robber by his own security outfit.
The deceased hailed from Ewechi-Onicha-Ukwuani, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State.
It was gathered that the incident occurred on the 31st August, 2017 at Fegge Police Station at about 6:30pm while his remains was allegedly deposited at Boromi Hospital morgue Onitsha by the Police.
It was gathered that the late Ernest owns a security outfit called Ambassador Security Service and Co. Nigeria Limited located at No 52, Old Market Road, Onitsha area of the State.
It was learnt that, the 60 years old father of 10, on 30 August 2017, his security outfit apprehended an armed robber with gun while trying to rub a house in Fegge town and was handed over to police at Fegge police station.
The wife of the deceased who spoke to The Nigerian Voice in Asaba vowed that the spirit of her husband would not rest until his killers are brought to book.
She revealed, her husband left the house full of life on that fateful day before he left after receiving a call from the police, “my husband left the house full of life on the day after receiving a call from police and never returned home”, she alleged.
“All what they are telling us is that Ernest killed himself while trying to dislodge the gun found with the robber”, she lamented.
The son of the deceased, Chidubem Kelikwuma while narrating his own part said, “on 31st August, My father and I were eating in the house when he received a call from Fegge Police Station on his MTN Line at about 4.45pm, he immediately left the food and told me that his attention was needed at the Divisional Police Headquarters and requested that I go with him to the station but I told him I was tired and needed some time to rest”.
“He left the house with the promise to return very soon, but we never saw him again. The next day, my mother told me that she received a call from the security adviser to my father requesting that she should come to the police station".
Chidubem further added that his late father told him that on the 30th of August, some of his security personnel apprehended an armed robber with gun who was trying to rub a house in Fegge town and he was handed over to the police at Fegge police station, but efforts by my father to see the IPO that Thursday proved abortive.
Chidubem disclosed that the father’s motorcycle which he drove to the police station on that day of his murder is still in Fegge police station.
According to him, the gun the police said allegedly claimed killed my father was the exhibit which my father's security personnel, Emmanuel Akpan handed over to the police after apprehending the armed robber.
When our correspondent visited the security office at No. 52 Old Market Onitsha, Anambra State and demanded to speak with Akpan, our correspondent was told that Apkan was not on seat.
But Akpan in a phone conversation, vowed to testify any time he is called upon stressing that the gun handed over to the police was without bullet after he personally checked it, wondering where the bullet appeared from that killed his boss.
At the Fegge Divisional Police Headquarters, the younger brother of the deceased who was accompanied by the deceased wife Gladys was told that the late Ernest was allegedly presented with the gun which was recovered from the robber to dislodge it in the presence of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), IPO and other senior officers.
They allegedly claimed that in the course of dislodging the gun, there was an accidental discharge which hit the deceased on his chest.
It was learnt that item found on the deceased and duly returned to the family by the police includes a wallet and a phone.
But in a swift reaction, the son disclosed that his father left the house the day he was called with N38, 600 and two phones, alleging that only one phone was returned to the family and fifty naira was found in the wallet.
The Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) of Anambra State Police Command, Princess Nkiruka Nwode on telephone said she is not aware of the incident as she has not been briefed, before hanging up the call.
