The Anambra State Police Stakeholders Partnership Forum and the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre have expressed serious concerns regarding the controversial death of Uchenna Okafor, a male teenager who allegedly died in the custody of the Anambra State Criminal Investigation Department annex in Awkuzu in December 2022. The groups are demanding transparency from the Anambra police regarding the circumstances surrounding Okafor’s death and are urging the police to clarify what truly happened.
The news of Okafor’s death was first made public by a social justice campaigner on Twitter, who goes by the handle @Ada_mummyya, on January 9. According to the campaigner, Okafor was arrested on December 23, 2022, for a case described as “two fighting.” It was reported that the deceased’s parents were asked to pay N150,000.00 for his bail. However, when they inquired about their son six days later, they were informed that he had died in custody. In response to the tweet, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, stated that he had instructed the Anambra State Police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, to investigate the matter and provide feedback.
Ikenga confirmed that the state police command had initiated a probe into the death of Uchenna Okafor, asserting that the case involved armed robbery rather than the alleged “two fighting.” He noted that the complainant had positively identified three suspects, who had confessed to the crime. Ikenga reported that while in custody, other detainees claimed that Okafor began acting abnormally, screaming and hitting his head against the wall before collapsing. He was subsequently taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Ikenga emphasized that no money was demanded or collected by any police officer, as confirmed by Okafor’s father. Furthermore, the police extended an invitation to the social justice advocate @Ada_mummyya for questioning regarding his claims that the suspects were asked to pay N50,000.00 each for bail.
Despite the police’s promise to conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of Okafor’s death, 18 days have passed without any updates from the police. In a joint statement signed by Chris Azor, Coordinator of the Anambra State chapter of the Police Stakeholders Partnership Forum, and Okechukwu Nwanguma, Executive Director of RULAAC, both organizations expressed their suspicion regarding the police’s actions and silence on the matter. The statement, titled “Citizen Uchenna James Okafor: Suspicious Death in Anambra Police Custody,” highlighted the lack of communication from the police and the victim’s parents since the initial public statement.
The groups pointed out the discrepancies between the police narrative and the claims made by @Ada_mummyya, noting that one report described the incident as “two fighting,” while the police characterized it as “armed robbery.” They raised concerns that Okafor may have been tortured to death and called for a transparent and credible autopsy to reveal the truth. The statement also referenced the new Police Act of 2020, which prohibits torture and mandates that arrested individuals be released within 24 hours unless charged with a capital offense.
The police acknowledged that Uchenna James Okafor was arrested on December 23, 2022, and died in their custody. However, there was a two-week gap between his arrest and the public announcement of his death. The groups emphasized that the police are responsible for maintaining law and order and must be accountable to the community in fulfilling their duties. They criticized the Anambra State Police Command for failing to issue a public statement about Okafor’s death until it was brought to light by the social justice campaigner.
As days turned into weeks following the police’s promise to conduct an autopsy, stakeholders have yet to receive any updates. Media inquiries regarding the deceased’s family have been met with resistance from police authorities. Additionally, during a visit by journalists to the victim’s community, the traditional ruler claimed ignorance of the incident, raising suspicions of a cover-up and an attempt to suppress information.
The groups are calling for a thorough investigation into the arrest, detention, and circumstances surrounding Uchenna James Okafor’s death in custody. They demand that the Anambra Police Command publicly disclose the identities of other individuals arrested alongside Okafor, their health conditions, and the progress of the investigation, including the results of the autopsy. Furthermore, they insist that any police officers found culpable in the mishandling of this case be brought to justice.
Efforts to obtain a response from DSP Tochukwu Ikenga regarding the situation have been unsuccessful, as repeated calls and messages to his phone have gone unanswered.
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