The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has issued the police a 14-day ultimatum over the gruesome murder of an Ogoni man, David Legbara by a policeman, Sergeant James Imhalu.
The group has demanded the immediate prosecution of Imhalu and payment of adequate compensation from the police to the family of the deceased within 14 days or they would be forced to protest peacefully and non-violently against the killing, PM News reports.
It was learnt that the deceased, who hailed from Uegwere-Boue community in Khana local government council of Ogoni in Rivers state, until his death was a commercial bus driver, the only child of his parents and bread winner of the family.
In a statement signed by Bari-ara Kpalap, the media advisor to the president of MOSOP, the group said: “The Ogoni people, we must say, are keenly watching and would accept nothing less than justice not only being done but also seen to be done in record time.”
Kpalap said Legbara was killed in questionable circumstances at Whimpy junction, Mile 4, Ikwerre road, Port Harcourt on Friday, August 7, 2015.
“The condition under which Mr. Legbara was killed is reminiscent of past situations wherein a huge number of Ogoni natives have been gruesomely murdered over the years by the police over the latter’s attempts at extorting money from our people.
“Reports available to MOSOP have shown that the issue occasioning this latest death was extortion-related but seemingly masked otherwise,” he said.
MOSOP stated that the police officer had no right to kill Legbara, irrespective of his offence, adding that, “As a police officer of his rank, he could not have feigned ignorance of the fact that he was prohibited by law and good conscience from denying the deceased his inalienable right to life hence the it is believed that the policeman’s killing of the Ogoni was deliberate because there were acceptable options available to him.”
The group further expressed concern over the violent approaches most police officers use in extortion, saying it had become a major source of concern and an appalling embarrassment to the people.
They therefore, called for the comprehensive reform of the Nigeria police.
There was an early morning rowdy protest on Saturday, August 8, following the killing of the commercial bus driver by the trigger-happy policeman. The protest extended to major highways and caused traffic gridlock that crippled most parts of the city till around 1.30p.m.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state had condemned the killing, vowing that the killer-cop would not go unpunished.
The policeman responsible for Legbaraa’s death has been reportedly arrested.
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