By Gbenga Abulude (Politics and General Desk)
Reactions have trailed the demand by the family of the newspaper vendor who was shot dead by a security aide of speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, for a ₦500m compensation from the speaker as well as prosecution of the alleged murderer.
Recall that Ifenyichukwu Okereke was shot last week by Abdullahi Hassan, a security aide attached to the speaker of the House of Representatives.
Gbajabiamila who was horrified by the gruesome shooting had suspended the aide from the convoy, and handed him over to the DSS for investigation and appropriate commensurate action.
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In addition, Gbajabiamila also visited the bereaved family and commiserated with them while assuring the deceased family that justice would be done on the matter.
However, in a letter addressed to the speaker by Chief Mike Ozekhome, lawyer to the family, the deceased family demanded for N500 million compensation from Gbajabiamila.
Ozekhome said the money might not bring back Okereke but it will go a long way in ameliorating the trauma and despair of the family especially at this point in time.
However, some persons have been reacting to this latest development. One Desmond Olisa from Delta state wrote to say that the action of the family is a welcome development but pointed out that the language and tone of the letter should have been better written in more elegant ways.
He wrote: ” It is right to demand for compensation. But the language is too low and conveys the impression that that amount would take care of the family. The young man is more than money. Money means nothing to life. Who says the late vendor could have been a Dangote, an Otedola, an Cosharis Maduka, or a Peter Obi or even a serving governor tomorrow… So to me, they content of the letter is too low and written in a manner that is suggestive of the fact that the deceased family are after money. No. Write in a more elegant way. Gbajabiamila could have done even bigger things than N500m.”
Another writer from Owerri, Chukwuma Orji said the letter is belittling of the issues and tend to show that life of the young vendor has been reduced to N500 million.
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Recall that in the letter dated November 23, the Okereke family had also demanded an immediate prosecution of security operative who killed their son while asking for the compensation of N500m.
“Our clients have instructed us to make from your good self, the following modest demands: That you use your good offices to ensure the immediate prosecution of your security aide (Abdullahi Hassan), who went on a frolic of his own, clearly acted outside the purview of his duty and responsibility by shooting to death an innocent, harmless and armless citizen,” Ozekhome said.
“That you adequately compensate the Okereke family with a modest sum of N500m only.
“This monetary demand can never adequately replace or take the place of their son, husband, brother, and breadwinner’s life. But it will at least mitigate the obvious trauma and hardship the premature demise of their irreplaceable breadwinner has placed on them.”
The lawyer said if the speaker fails to accede to their request in seven days, they would take legal steps.
“Take note therefore that it is our clients’ firm instruction that in the event that you fail, refuse and/or neglect to accede to or proffer reasonable compensatory terms to our above modest demands within seven days from the date of this letter, we shall without any further correspondences from us, take appropriate legal steps to enforce our clients’ constitutional rights,” he said.
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