Counsel to the complainant on a case of enforced disappearance of Mr. Emmanuel Ogbogu, M.E. Chukwu said the Nigerian police has admitted killing the late Ogbogu and buried him.
Chukwu while addressing the Independent Investigation Panel on Human Rights Violations by defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad and other units of the Nigerian Police Force on Wednesday said the Police had already testified the death of Mr Emmanuel Ogbogu before the National Assembly House Committee on Public Petitions.
He informed the panel that Anambra state Police Command where the incident allegedly took place had written a letter to the National Assembly Committee on public petitions saying that Mr. Emmanuel Ogbogu, the subject matter of the petition had since died and was buried after a shoot-out involving him and some police officers in Anambra state.
According to him, “the Police in the same letter stated that the autopsy report on the corpse of the deceased was burnt during the END SARS protest in 2020 and therefore cannot lay hands on it.”
However, the 11-Member Panel chaired by Justice Suleiman Galadima (rtd) sequel to the above information directed the leader of the Police legal team, James Idachaba to take a copy of the said letter to the Force Headquarters to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the letter and report back to the panel.
Besides, the panel directed Idachaba to get information about any officers needed in the panel so as to ensure their appearance when necessary as the panel has limited time to dispense with the petitions before it.
Earlier, Idachaba informed the panel that he will make effort to reach Celestine Ani, the 1st respondent to appear before the panel since the petitioner’s counsel said he is currently serving in the Anambra state government.
He said that Mr James Nwafor who is the 2nd respondent will be difficult to reach because he has retired and he does not know his current address.
The matter was adjourned to 13th of December, 2021.
