DSP Melai Isaac has narrated before the Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other units of the Nigerian Police how late Ifeoma Abugu was allegedly killed while in police custody.
DSP Melai in his testimony stated that Ifeoma Abugu was not the suspect abnitio, rather it was Afam Ugwunwa, her fiancé, a known drug baron, whose name was mentioned in statement given by one suspect called Lucky Idawaor, in a case of criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide and armed robbery that was their subject of investigation.
DSP Melai told Chairman of the Panel Justice Suleiman Galadima (retd) that on 10th September, 2020, armed with Ugwunwa’s home address which he got from Lucky, he led a team of 2 other policemen to arrest Ugwunwa at his house in Lokogoma, but met only Ifeoma at home with a large quantity of cocaine and India hemp which she denied having knowledge of the substance.
DSP Melai said he arrested Ifeoma and took her to the police station.
While on the way DSP Melai alleged that she started acting funny, showing signs of being unwell,before they got to the police station she was already stooling and vomiting.
He informed the 11 man panel that he immediately rushed her to Maitama General Hospital, where the nurse on duty on sighting her pronounced her dead.
Not satisfied, he and his team took her to University of Abuja Teaching Hospital,(UATH) Gwagwalada where the doctor on duty confirmed that she was dead. Thereafter her body was deposited in the mortuary.
He noted that there were no injuries or bruises on any part of her body and that the incidence happened so fast, “from the time she was arrested to the time she was pronounced dead, all happened within 3 hours” .
DSP Melai disclosed to the panel that following the death of Ifeoma, another police officer, Ibe Eko was assigned to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of Ifeoma. This situation overshadowed the arrest of Afam Ugwuna, who was the initial suspect they were interested in.
Ibe Eko, the officer assigned to investigate, standing before the 11 man panel chronicled the steps he took to establish how Ifeoma died.
On the 18th September 2020, he collected the statements of DSP Melai and his team members; Insp Enlemai Agbede and Sgt Ezekiel Agbede.
On the 21st September, both parties; the officers who went to arrest Ifeoma and her family members went to identify the body at the UATH and thereafter he took pictures. He further alleged that there was little scratch on her left knee.
On the 24th September, 2020 he visited the house and neighbourhood where the deceased was arrested and spoke to an eye witness in the neighbourhood, one Amarachukwu.
Thereafter on the 25th September 2020, a pathologist, Dr B. I Abimiku, of UATH was invited to conduct an autopsy on the deceased and the result showed she died of anoxia.
The Police, not satisfied with the cause of death, sought for another opinion.
The result was presented to another pathologist, Dr I.B. Achusi from Federal Medical Center, Abuja, who interpreted the cause of death to be asphyxiation.
After listening to their testimonies, the Chairman of the panel stated that the position of the panel is to find out the level of involvement of the police in the death of Ifeoma Abugu on the 18th September,2020.
He therefore.charged IPO Ibe Eko “to make available all copies of the statements taken from all parties involved and also reports of his investigation tomorrow 24th March 2021 before the panel”.
The Counsel to the petitioner was directed to present his written address to Police in order for them to respond after 7 seven days.
The matter was adjourned to 15th April, 2021 for the adoption of addresses.
