Another extra-judicial killing by the police in Yenagoa

By Citizen Chukwu

This extra-judicial killing in Yenagoa is a reason for Amnesty International to investigate Bayelsa State now. One Ockiya from Nembe was picked up by the operatives of FAMU-TANGBE (anti-crime squad in Bayelsa State) in the evening of September 13, 2011, in Yenagoa before the eyes of his parents and summarily executed without trial. I followed up the matter and, in a telephone call, the sister informed me that they have finally found the boy.

I was happy when I heard this. So, I asked, where did you finally see him? She replied: At the Mortuary, FMC (Federal Medical Centre). She said, according to the mortuary attendants, the corpse was brought to them on the 13th of September, 2011 by the same police van that took the boy away from the father’s house the night before. Well, the boy has been killed by operatives of Operation Famu-Tangbe.

When even the authorities don’t have confidence in the judiciary, what hope is there for the society? Ordinarily we expect that, no matter what, if the police are sure of the guilt of any suspect, it remains their duty to get enough evidence and prove the fact in court; not to carry out extra-judicial killings. It is really sad that police can just come to someone’s house and pick his/her son or daughter and the next thing is to find the corpse at the morgue. It is not acceptable. We should give the courts the chance to try all such cases for the interest of all.