A widow, from Nkek, in the Ukanafun local government area of Akwa Ibom, Ms. Mfon Udoidiong, has said that a police officer, Mr. Idongesit Ekanem, killed her son on September 9, 2017, for not giving him the N100 you demanded.
She made the disclosure at the resuming hearing of the Investigative Panel on Incidents of Police Brutality at the Superior Court Complex, Uyo, on Thursday.
Udoidiong, a small shopkeeper, said that her son, the late Mr. Imo Udoidiong, came home from Uyo City Polytechnic, where he attended school and decided to visit an observation center.
He said that after a few hours, his son’s friend came to announce that his son had been shot and killed by a policeman, who demanded money from him.
Udoidiong said the family of the police officer involved gave him N200,000 to buy a coffin and bury the son, after which he was careless and the police showed no concern.
“The policeman’s family promised to give me N1,000,000 to move on with my life, but to this day no one has given me anything. They only gave me 200,000 shillings to buy a coffin to bury my son, ”he said.
A witness, a mechanic, Ubong Monday, told the panel that the deceased was his classmate in high school, whom he met when he was on his way to buy parts.
On Monday he said that the late Udoidiong asked him to take him to his destination as he was on a motorcycle.
“Near the Ukanafun stadium, some policemen stopped us and demanded the N100 before we could pass. We told them we have no money to give, and my friend got off the motorcycle to meet the patrol leader in his vehicle for an explanation.
“Then the superior officer told them to let us pass. When Udoidiong tried to get on the bike, Ekanem (the suspect) came with his friend and attacked him with sticks for reporting him.
“Not satisfied, Ekanem went and got a pistol, covered it, and shot Udoidiong, who was killed instantly.
“When asked why he shot the victim at the police station in Ukanafun, Ekanem said it was an accidental discharge,” he said Monday.
Meanwhile, the petitioner’s attorney, Mr. Augustine Udoh, has asked the panel to ensure that the alleged police officer, who has reportedly been fired from the service, appears for questioning on the matter.
The panel, headed by judge Ifiok Ukana (rtd), however, postponed the case until January 21 for an additional hearing.
