The Nigeria Police Force says the Federal Government is set to extradite
a murder suspect, Jeffrey Okafor, to the United Kingdom where he has been
declared wanted for the murder of a UK-based child actor, Carl Asiedu.
Okafor and others who have since been arrested allegedly stabbed
19-year-old Asiedu to death on August 1, 2009 outside a UK nightclub.
Okafor was later caught on CCTV boarding a plane to Nigeria days after
committing the alleged act.
The family of the deceased subsequently made an emotional appeal for
information as the police offered a reward of £10,000 (N2.6m).
The suspect continued to evade authorities for about five years but was
arrested on September 23, 2014 in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu on
Wednesday in Abuja, said the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba,
commended the Police Intelligence Operatives for the arrest of the suspect.
The IG said despite the fugitive’s frequent change of identity and
location, the operatives were still able to keep a tab on him without raising
any suspicion.
The IG assured the international law enforcement communities that the
police force would always ensure that all fugitives that show up in Nigeria were
apprehended upon request and turned over accordingly.
The statement said that all the required procedures for the handover of
the fugitive to the UK authorities had been concluded.
It said, “The Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, has commended
Police Intelligence Operatives for the arrest of a wanted murder suspect in the
United Kingdom, Jeffery Azuka Okafor, 23, who fled to Nigeria after the alleged
murder of Carl Asiedu on August 1, 2009 in London.
“He was arrested on September 23, 2014 in Asaba, Delta State, after a
diligent search.”
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