News

Police Allegedly Shoot Father of Three Dead Un Anambra

Published

2 years ago

October 23, 2023

A woman, Mrs Dorcas Nwakor, residing at Haruna Street, Odoakpu by Sokoto Road in Onitsha, Anambra State, has petitioned the acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over the alleged killing of her son, Chibueze Nwakor, by police officers attached to the Area Command in Onitsha.

In the petition, made available to journalists in Onitsha, on Monday, Mrs Nwakor, said Chibueze, her only son and father of three, was shot dead by the police officers around his residence on October 13, 2023, while he was going to his place of business.

She petitioned the acting IGP through her Lawyer, Anayo Emejue and Associates, adding that her son, was shot dead without any provocation by three policemen, led by one Jude Utazi, on the fateful day.

The petition partly reads, “It is our client’s instruction that on October 13, 2023, at Onitsha, Anambra State, a team of three policemen shot their son, husband and brother, Mr Chibueze Nwakor, to death for no justifiable reason.

“Chibueze, who lives at No. 15F Haruna Street, Odoakpu, Onitsha, was shot to death by policemen led by one Jude Utazi attached to Area Command, Onitsha, for allegedly refusing to answer their questions.

“After shooting him, the policemen jumped into their ash-coloured commuter Hiace shuttle bus and zoomed off.

“The victim was rushed to the hospital by his neighbours, but because of the severity of the bullet wounds, he died before receiving medical attention, leaving behind his wife and three children. His corpse has been deposited at the mortuary.

“This is a case of wilful murder of a citizen without any justification or provocation.

“The mother and the wife of the deceased want the Nigeria Police to explain why their son/husband was killed and those responsible for the killing.”

The petition was also copied to the Commissioner of Police in Anambra, the State Director of DSS, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Anambra, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Abuja, the Director, National Human Rights Commission Abuja, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, among others.

Briefing journalists in his office on Monday, the counsel to the family, Anayo Emejue, confirmed that the deceased was shot dead without any provocation by three policemen led by one Jude Utazi.

He said, “We were told that the three policemen involved in the killing have been detained at the Police Headquarters in Awka, but when we got to Awka, we saw them moving freely on the streets.

“This was a father of three who hailed from Owerre-Ezukala, Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, but he lived with his family at No. 15F Haruna St. close to Sokoto Road junction, where he does business.

“He did not commit any offence, just that he refused to answer their questions and he was shot by trigger-happy policemen and they jumped into their ash-coloured commuter Hiace and zoomed off.”

Every effort to get the reaction of the Investigating Police Officer in the case, Azuka Moses, proved abortive, as calls and messages to her telephone line were not responded to.

However, when contacted on the development on Monday, the Anambra State Police Spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, adding that “the case is still under investigation”.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka, Mr Akin Fakorede, in a letter written to the counsel for the bereaved family, urged him to be physically present for the autopsy of the deceased, billed for noon on Tuesday, at the St. Charles Borromeo Specialist Hospital Morgue, Onitsha.

The letter from the Deputy Commissioner read in part, “Notification of autopsy: Invitation to witness the autopsy of late Mr Chibueze Samuel Nwakor, of No. 15F Haruna St. Odoakpu Onitsha, murdered on 13/09/2023, post mortem examination to likely cause of death will be conducted on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, by noon at St. Charles Borromeo hospital mortuary.

“Accordingly you are please invited to be physically present at the venue as a witness to the post-mortem examination. If for any reason you can not be present, nominate an appropriate person to represent you.”
PUNCH

News

JUST IN: Tinubu Decorates New Service Chiefs

Published

37 minutes ago

October 30, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday decorated the new service chiefs with their respective ranks at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The ceremony, which began shortly after 2pm saw the President perform the decoration alongside Vice President Kashim Shettima and the spouses of the decorated officers, each dressed in their respective service uniforms.

Those decorated were General Olufemi Oluyede as the Chief of Defence Staff; Lieutenant-General Wahidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff; Air Marshal Kennedy Aneke as Chief of Air Staff; and Vice Admiral Idi Abbas and Chief of Naval Staff.

The Senate had, on Wednesday, confirmed the four nominees after a two-hour closed-door screening session where they were grilled on strategies to strengthen national security and improve coordination among the armed forces.

Tinubu had earlier written the red chamber, seeking an expedited confirmation process “to ensure continuity in the nation’s security leadership.”

It was observed that the ceremony was attended by senior government officials, lawmakers family members of the service chiefs and top officers from the various arms of the military.

The President, Vice President and the officers’ spouses took turns pinning the new ranks on each of the decorated chiefs.

The decoration came barely one week after the Presidency announced a sweeping reshuffle in the military hierarchy.

In the statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, it said the shake-up was part of efforts to inject new direction into the nation’s defence architecture.

The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General E. A. P. Undiendeye, retained his position.

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, later told our correspondent that the changes were not connected to recent rumours of a coup plot, saying, “The President acted within his authority as Commander-in-Chief. Service chiefs can be hired and fired by the President.”

On Monday, Tinubu had met privately with the new service chiefs at the Villa.

They arrived in a black Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van escorted by a green Toyota Land Cruiser, and the session lasted about 40 minutes.

Presidency sources said the President charged them to take decisive action against insurgents and bandits, particularly in the North.

Last Friday’s reshuffle followed an October 19 report alleging that some officers were plotting to overthrow the government — a claim later dismissed by the Defence Headquarters as “false and mischievous.”

The Director of Defence Information, Brigadier-General Tukur Gusau, said the alleged arrests linked to a coup were “issues of indiscipline” within the ranks, describing the report as “intended to cause unnecessary tension and distrust among the populace.”

News

JUST IN: Eurozone Growth Beats Expectations In Third Quarter

Published

4 hours ago

October 30, 2025

Editor

The eurozone economy grew faster than expected in the third quarter of 2025, official data showed Thursday.

The EU’s data agency said the 20-country single currency area recorded growth of 0.2 per cent over the July-September period from the previous quarter.

The figure was higher than the 0.1 per cent forecast by analysts for Bloomberg and FactSet.

More details later…

News

PHOTOS: Police Inspector, Others Die In Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Multiple-truck Crash

Published

5 hours ago

October 30, 2025

Editor

At least four persons were feared dead while several others sustained injuries in a multiple-vehicle crash involving five articulated trucks on Kara Bridge, inward Mowe, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Thursday.

A police inspector attached to the Lagos State Police Command was said to be among the victims.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, who confirmed the incident on Thursday during a visit to the scene, said emergency response teams worked through the early hours to rescue victims and clear the wreckage.

“We have a case of multiple accidents at the border between Ogun and Lagos State. Five vehicles were involved, all articulated vehicles. Precisely, three people have been rescued from the scene of the accident.

“As early as 5 a.m., we have been on it, and we have other agencies here assisting us. We have LASTMA, the Road Safety Corps, and other security agencies,” Ishola said.

He explained that preliminary investigations showed the crash was caused by a trailer that suffered brake failure.

“At the beginning, we have a trailer that failed to brake, and it is important that everybody in charge of their vehicle ensures proper maintenance,” he stated.

The commissioner also confirmed the death of one of his officers who was part of the police advance team deployed to the scene.

“It’s very unfortunate that we lost one of our police inspectors who came with our advance team to salvage the situation,” he said.

Ishola cautioned motorists, particularly drivers of articulated vehicles, against reckless driving, which he described as a leading cause of fatal crashes on highways.

“We want road users, especially those driving articulated vehicles, to stop this kind of recklessness. If they are not reckless in their driving habit, we won’t have this kind of accident,” he warned.

Rescue operations involving the police, Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, and other agencies were still ongoing as of press time, while efforts to remove the damaged vehicles and restore traffic flow continued.