The family of a farmer, Umog Charlie, allegedly killed by a police inspector identified as Oliver Akang in Akwa Ibom State, has cried out for justice.
The family also said the command had offered them 1.3 million naira as compensation to let the matter rest.
According to the family, Umog was murdered on Asutan Street, Off Barracks Road, Uyo, the state capital.
It was gathered that on September 9, Akang and five other policemen attached to the Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Cultism police unit in Uyo, during a raid, stormed Ibong Otoro village and shot aimlessly.
Umog’s sister, Esther Ini, and his brother, Destiny Ini, revealed that efforts by the villagers to caution the policemen over the aimless shooting fell on deaf ears until a bullet from Akang’s rifle hit Umog.
They disclosed that the policemen fled the scene after Umog was shot as they noted that the deceased was survived by his wife, Edidiong Ini, and four children.
A copy of the MoU between the deceased’s family and the Akwa Ibom Commissioner of Police, Olatoye Durosinmi, dated September 26, 2023, and signed by the deceased’s wife, Edidiong, and the deceased’s siblings, Destiny, and Glory Ini, obtained by newsmen corroborated the narration of the relatives.
A lawyer, Nango Nango, who spoke on behalf of the deceased’s wife, also told newsmen that following the receipt of the petition, the CP and the police officers reached out to the families of the deceased instead and never informed him about the development leading to the signing of the MoU and the offer and receipt of the 1.2 million naira between the police and the family.
When contacted on the phone, Akang who initially answered the call, refused to respond to questions by newsmen over the development and ignored subsequent calls and a text message sent to him.
Punch