House Probes Alleged Police Brutality in Delta

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Police Affairs to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged killing in Obinomba community of Delta State by police officers, with a view to bringing the culprits to book.

The lawmakers’ resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai.

Moving the motion, Ossai recalled that following the #EndSARS protest, the United Nations and the European Union called for an end to police brutality in Nigeria.

He also recalled that at about 8:30 p.m. on September 24, 2021, men of the Nigeria Police Force, without any reason, allegedly shot sporadically into the air in

Obinomba community of Delta State before storming into a nearby hotel and murdered one Ojarikre Gift, who was celebrating his birthday in the hotel.

He said the alleged killing led to massive protests by women and youths of the community, who erected barricades at several spots on the Sapele-Agbor expressway.

Ossai added that the reported murder is one out of many cases of extrajudicial killings in the country, which violates the operational ethos of a modern police force. Adopting the motion, the lawmakers also mandated the committee to visit the bereaved family.

Also at the plenary, the lawmakers, while adopting a motion sponsored by Hon. Mohammed Auwal Jatau, mandated its Committee on Federal Capital Territory to investigate irregularities in the operational activities of Public Health Institutions in Abuja.