Udoh and his family were return¬ing from a vigil in his tricycle when they were flagged down by stop-and-search policemen who allegedly demanded for money from them. He was said to have pleaded that he had no money on him as he was not oper¬ating on commercial basis.
Irked by his non-compliance, one of the policemen, who was later iden¬tified as Corporal Musiliu Aremu, allegedly opened fire on the tricy¬cle which by then had moved few metres away from the checkpoint, killing his wife who was carrying their 11-month-old baby and injuring Udoh on his shoulder and jaw.
Speaking with Sunday Sun, the 45 year-old man said he was still in pain over the death of his wife whom he described as a supportive and car¬ing woman.
The father of four added that no amount of compensation would be able to fill the vacuum caused by the demise of his wife.
“I need justice, my life is shattered. Who will take care of my little child? My wife has been so supportive and caring. She was the joy of my life. She was my companion, my friend and the mother of my children.
“There is no amount of compen¬sation that will replace my wife. The scar on my shoulder and jaw will always remain there. I need justice, I need justice. Oh! I love my wife. It is only justice that will pacify my heart for the gruesome way my joy was stolen from me,” he lamented.
Meanwhile the policeman ac¬cused of firing the bullet that killed Mrs. Udoh was arraigned before an Ebute-Metta Magistrate Court last Monday on a two count charge.
The charges read: That you Aremu Museliu, ‘m’ on the 16th day of September, 2015, at about 2000 hrs at Ijegun, Isheri-Osun, Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully kill one Comfort Godwin Sunday ‘f’ by shooting her with AK 47 rifle and thereby committed an of¬fense punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.
That you Aremu Museliu ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid Magisterial district, did unlawfully shot one Godwin Sun¬day ‘m’ with AK 47 rifle and caused him grievous body harm and thereby committed an offense punishable un¬der section 243 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria.
The accused was remanded in prison custody while the case was adjourned to November 25, 2015.
Meanwhile, worried by this de¬velopment, Akwa-Ibom indigenes in Lagos under the umbrella of Ak¬wa-Ibom Community in Lagos, AKISCOM, have threatened to put a stop to what they described as mal¬treatment against their kinsmen in Lagos.
The group had in conjunction with members of Women Arise Group, a Non-governmental organization (NGO) and human rights activists staged a peaceful protest demand¬ing for justice and compensation at the Ebute Metta Magistrate Court in Oyingbo during the hearing of the matter.
In a statement, President of Ak¬wa-Ibom State Community in Lagos, Chief Elijah Ifot, said indigenes of Akwa Ibom state were greatly wor¬ried by the death of Mrs. Udoh and vowed to leave no stone unturned to check what he described as the kill¬ings and molestation of Akwa- Ibom indigenes in the state.
“Akwa-Ibom community in Lagos is worried by the incessant killing and molestation of our people, we would leave no stone unturned in using all legal, legitimate and constitutional means at our disposal to checkmate this trend. We have decided to stage this peaceful protest with members of Women Arise group and other se¬curity and human rights activists on the killing of our sister, Mrs. Idon¬gesit Godwin who was carrying her 11-month-old baby, by a happy-trig¬ger policeman because she refused to part with some money demanded by the policemen.”
Ifot thanked the Akwa-Ibom State government for showing in¬terest on the affairs of its people in Lagos. He said: “This incident has brought the people and government together; this is a proof of true gov¬ernment and indigene relationship.” He promised to work and report to the state government the interest of the people in Lagos. Legal coun¬sels to the family of the deceased and Akwa-Ibom Community in Lagos, Messrs Silas Udoh and Cle¬tus Eyo-Udo, assured that with the assistance, commitment and inter¬est of the state government, justice would be done on the matter.
Addressing newsmen immedi¬ately after the court session, Special Assistant to Akwa-Ibom State Gov¬ernor on Legal Matters, Mr. Andem Andem, expressed worry on such incident and disclosed that Governor Udom Emmanuel led government does not welcome injustice, maltreat¬ment and denial of people’s rights and therefore would ensure justice on the matter.
He said the state government is committed to the protection of the in¬terest and welfare of all Akwa- Ibom indigenes irrespective of where they reside in Nigeria and in Diaspora.
Andem while thanking the lead¬ership of Akwa-Ibom Community in Lagos, AKISCOM, members of Women Arise Group led by its Pres¬ident Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin and other Human Rights activists for the show of love and concern, charged the people to remain united and in love for one another.
Meanwhile, Women Arise in a statement signed by its President, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin demanded that Nigerian Police and Lagos State gov¬ernment pay reasonable monetary compensation to the family of the de¬ceased and speed up the prosecution of the accused to serve as deterrent to others.
It also demanded scholarship grant for the education of the children of the deceased to university level via a trust fund as well as to give full and comprehensive medical checkup for the husband of the deceased.
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