Francis Sadhere
THE Nigerian Bar Association, Warri Branch, has called on the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) to carry out a thorough investigation on the gruesome murder of two of their colleagues in Ozoro, Delta State, and fish out the killers and bring them to justice.
The petition was made at a press briefing in Warri, yesterday by the Warri Branch of the NBA after staging a protest round the city of Warri to condemn the murder of their colleagues.
According the press statement signed by the Chairman, NBA Warri Branch, Ben Oji; “the dastardly act of killing of our colleagues who were engaged in their professional duties is highly condemnable. The perpetrators obviously intend to intimidate lawyers, but as one, we stand to say “we shall not be deterred.”
Oji said they shall send a petition to the National Human Rights Commission asking for a thorough investigation of the incident, adding that they had contacted the NBA President, Okey Wali SAN, who had forwarded the petition to the IGP.
He said NBA will not accept anything short of justice, emphasizing that the murder must not be allowed to go the way of several assassinations in the country.
Giving a brief account of the incident, Oji said that one of the victims, Horace Equono Dafiaghor, was engaged as counsel to the accused persons in charge No. HCZ/9C/13: STATE VS SUNDAY UGBEBO &OMOVIGHO ODIOKO, a case at the High Court Ozoro, in which the accused persons are standing trial for the alleged kidnap of the son of Comrade Ovuzorie Macaulay, Secretary to the Delta State Government.
The Chairman added that the victim had before his death complained severy to the court and his colleagues that he was being threatened to withdraw from the matter, alleging that he traced the threat to the policemen.
He added that; “Whenever the case came up in court, there was always a large detachment of policemen numbering about 100, with over 20 Hilux vans, who took over the entire court premises and the surroundings.”
“Horace Eguono Dafiaghor Esq. then filed a habeas corpus application HCZ/M/2/14: OGAGA ENUEME VS COP, which was fixed for ruling on March 27, 2014, and it was whilst ho his way to the High Court, Ozoro with his junior in chambers, Samuel Ekwuaghaju Esq., that they met their untimely death.”
Ojo added they suspected foul play when information got to them that the client in respect of whom he filed the application, Ogaga Enueme, was also killed on the same day (March 27, 2014) their colleagues were killed, stressing that they saw a clear and direct connection between the two incidents and that it was not a coincident.
He said; “From all indications, their vehicle was diverted or was forced off the Ughelli-Oleh Road on to a side road where they were shot in the head at very close range outside their car. They were clearly assassinated.”
“A week ago, we were informed that the client in respect of whom he filed the application, Ogaga Enueme, was also killed on the same day, March 27, 2014. The police account is that he was being taken to court with another suspect when they were attacked by armed men who engaged them in a shootout which left the suspect dead,” the Warri NBA Chairman said.
Commenting on the comments of the Delta State Commissioner of police who said that the suspects were kevins boys, Ojo said it was an unfortunate statement coming from the police commissioner, even while investigations were still on.
