Family Demands Justice for the Murder of Late Mrs.Mary Ikpelemo Killed by Army Officer in Kogi State.

The family of Late Mrs. Mary Ikpelemo are calling on the Kogi State government, the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command, Lokaja to give the family justice.

In a petition to the Commissioner of Police, the National President of  Magongo community in Kogi Central Senatorial District,  Mr. Framcis Afunmi Andrew, called on the Kogi State Police Command in Lokaja, the commandant command of Army Records in Cheri Megeri Barracks and the Director of Department of State Security Services, Kogi State Command, Lokoja to bring the culprit, am Army officer who murdered Mrs. Mary since on December 30th 2020 to justice.

According to the National President, “ the family and the people of the community demand the immediate prosecution of the Army Officer”, he said.

He lamented that Justice delayed is justice denied says the National Secretary of the Community, Mr. Thomas Alao. “we demand that Justice be served as soon as possible.

Also included in the petition are the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Maitama, Abuja., The Special Adviser, to the Executive Governor on Security Matters, in Kogi State.

Here is the full text of the petition written to the concerned authorities.

 24th August, 2021.

To Whom It May Concerned

 Dear Sir,

 1 The Commissioner of Police

Kogi State Police Command,

Lokaja.

2The commandant command,

Army Records,

Cheri Megeri Barracks.

Lokoja

.3 The Director,

Department of State Security Services,

Kogi State Command.

Lokoja.

4 The Executive Secretary,

National Human Right Commission,

No. 19 AguyiIronsi Street,

Maitama, Abuja.

5 The Special Adviser,

To the Executive Governor on Security Matters,

Kogi State.

 

6 The Director-General,

Kogi state Public Defender Commission,

Lokoaja.

Dear Sir,

DENIAL OF RIGHT TO LIFE/EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLING DEMAND FOR INVESTIGATION AND JUSTICE IN RESPECT OF LATE MRS. MARY IKPELEMO WAS MURDERED BY THE MILITARY.

The Magongo community in Kogi Central Senatorial District of Kogi Staten wishes to draw your attention to an unfortunate incident that has happened in the town since December 30th 2020.

At about 8:30 pm of that day, the serene atmosphere was fractured by bursts of staccato gunfire. Some of our people had thought that the sound emanated from knockouts sounds that normally typifies end of the year excitement and celebrations.

Unfortunately, the escalating rattles of the gunshots from the soldiers sighted in a military van with side number 0014 respectively alerted the natives that those sounds were not mere knockouts sounds.

Our people scampered for safety into their houses. Surprisingly, one of our own citizens; Mrs. Mary Ikpelemo was shot down by stray bullets from the soldier that rushed her to a nearby hospital (DOSAM Hospital opposite Eid’praying ground, Nagazi) and there she was confirmed Dead.

Immediately she was confirmed dead, the soldier, left her remains in the hospital and never return.

Our findings revealed, that an obstinate commercial driver who defied a stop-and-search order by the soldiers on the borders of kogi and Edo specifically on top Magongo-Ibillo road was hotly chased by the soldiers into our town.

In the soldiers attempt to track him down for arrest they fired several rounds of bullets into the drivers’ vehicle with plate number Kogi Aja164EA.

In a desperate move to escape, the yet to be identified unknown driver from his vehicle took to his heels and escaped through narrow paths in the town into the bush. We gathered that this further infuriated the soldiers who kept spraying bullets in the direction of the escaping driver.

The unfortunate incident led to the brutal murder of Mrs. Mary as she was hit by a stray bullet in front of her house.

We are deeply pained by the attitude of both the soldiers and the driver.

Firstly, why would soldiers shoot indiscriminately at a criminal knowing the lethal risk where civilians dwell? And now we are counting our loss with the death of one of us and a burnt telephone shop beside the house.

Secondly, why would a commercial driver be so stubborn as to refuse to stop for the security agents on duty if he had nothing to hide? At present, the parents of the deceased have kept the remains of the victim in the mortuary waiting for your investigation before burying their dead.

While our daughter can never be resuscitated no matter what legal intervention is brought to bear on this issue, we still demand through investigations and compensation, and justice to ameliorate the psychological trauma inflicted on both the immediate family of the late Mary Ikpelemo and the entire Magongo Community.

Our people were all set to celebrate the end of the year in Joy and Happiness but that occasioned was turned into sorry and mourning for them by both the soldiers and the unknown driver.

Meanwhile, the vehicle of the said commercial driver has been towed to the police station in Akpafa, Ogori-Magongo. We Believe that the action exhibits the probable culpability of the said driver who provoked the soldiers.

The identity of the Soldier who killed Mrs Mary is still unknown We do not know the identity of the soldier but we believe you can use your good office to connect and fish out the errant soldiers out for proper punishment.

This is the only way the enter Magongo people can be appeased from this execrable provocation. It took the intervention of well-meaning elders and leaders of the community to pacify our rampaging Youths which would have led to the destruction of lives,  vehicles and other properties.

Sir, like we earlier said, the body of Late Mrs. Mary Ikpelemo is at the mortuary awaiting your quick investigation before she is buried

Thanks in anticipations

Yours faithfully,

Mr. FramcisAfunmi Andrew                            Mr. Thomas Alao

National President                                              National Secretary