COAS Orders Investigations into Killing of Woman

By Sylvester Idowu in Warri

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has ordered an investigation, commencing monday into the alleged murder of Mrs. Alice Akparobi, and the shooting of one Shedrack Saduwa in the stomach at Effurun in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State six months ago.

The army boss gave the directive in response to the May 16, 2016 petition by lawyer and rights activist, Oghenejabor Ikimi to the Nigerian Army through the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) demanding that the matter be investigated to let justice prevail.

THISDAY learnt that the COAS order for inquiry was directed to the Army Special Investigation Bureau and communicated in an October 7 letter through the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police to Ikimi on behalf of Isaac Akparobi, relative to late Mrs. Akparobi and seriously injured Saduwa.

The military police’s letter to Ikimi, signed by Col. K C Okoro, Commander of the Special Investigation Bureau, requested the lawyer to avail his clients, Isaac and Saduwa to the bureau for interview.

“The interview is necessary to have further insight into your petition. Your client are also requested to come with all relevant, and where necessary, duly certified documents in support of the petition,” the letter further stated.

Ikimi, speaking to THISDAY said, “Not only did the authority see reasons to shift the October 10 they initially fixed to meet our clients, they also had to move the venue to Warri because I told them my clients can’t even afford the trip to Abuja.”

As the investigations begin, Ikimi, Executive Director, Center for the Vulnerable and Underprivileged, Centrep, hoped “that all the victims and their families get justice, as justice delayed is justice denied.”

Akparobi, while on her way toe her daughter’s wedding on April 30, an environmental sanitation day, was allegedly killed by a soldier, newly posted to a military checkpoint at Jakpa Junction in Uvwie Local Government area while Saduwa, an artisan, got shot in the stomach in the uprising that attended the incident.