From Ameachi Prosper (The New Diplomat’s Delta State Correspondent)
Following the resumed sitting of the Rivers State Commission of Inquiry into the alleged Acts of violence, torture by the police, the people of Okujagu Community in Okrika LGA, of the state has demanded for payment of N241million from the Nigerian police as compensation for the alleged invasion, destruction of buildings and killing of two indigenes of the community by the operatives of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in 2016.
The Chairman of Okujagu Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr Dabo-Opuye Owubiobari, made the demand on behalf of the people when he appeared at the resumed sitting.
Owubiobari said that out of the said amount demanded, N100million would be for compensation for the alleged killing of Miss Faithful Daniel; N100million for the death of ThankGod Dickson; N20million for the rebuilding of the destroyed community; N20million for the education fund for the surviving daughter of late ThankGod Dickson, and N1.058million for the rebuilding of a boat allegedly destroyed by the rampaging SARS operatives during the invasion.
He told the panel that on the midnight of May 26, 2016, they woke up to see that fierce-looking armed men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad had invaded their community, and started shooting sporadically and going from one house to another in search of people, adding that in the process, they killed Mr. ThankGod Dickson and Miss Faithful Daniel.
According to him, while the security officials were searching people’s ‘houses, he ran to take cover at the waterside’, adding that it was at that point that he watched the SARS operatives hitting at the late ThankGod as he could not run because he just returned from surgery, which impeded his ability to run away like others.
He disclosed that the police officers later broke into the one-storey building where the late ThankGod was and threw him from there to the ground.
“I went to the other side of the waterside to check the whereabouts of my siblings, and I heard ThankGod screaming and shouting from the one-storey building, ‘please, leave me alone, I’m just coming back from appendices operation. I’m not well. I’m dead”.
Owubiobari urged the commission to prevail on the police to release the corpse of the late Miss Faithful Daniel so that she can be buried, adding that the father died from the shock of her demise.
“Her father died from the shock of the demise of the girl. They should bring the girl’s body so that she can be buried”.
He further alleged that it was their neighbouring community, Okuru that invited the SARS personnel to the community, and wondered why just mere land dispute would make their neighbours to invite the police to unleash such magnitude of attacks on Okujagu community.
“The debris of the buildings destroyed by the SARS are littered across the community that anybody can see. The first contingent, after unleashing mayhem left, and another came from the Okuru axis and were molesting the women.”
The Chairman of the commission, Justice Chukwunoye Uriri (rtd), after listening to both parties, adjourned the matter.
