By Tunji Adedeji
Uneasy calm is brewing in Okwu-Emeke Community in Owerri North LGA of Imo State over alleged killing of their son late Omeni Ajaero by some suspected officers of Nigeria Police (names withheld) in alleged conspiracy with the deceased step brothers and mother (names withheld)
Trumpeta reliably gathered that after the death of late J.N Ajaero, the deceased father who while alive married 3 wives, his children became embroiled in very cantankerous dispute over property of their late father. The bad blood created over the property was so deep that lives were threatened.
According to the immediate younger brother to the deceased, Uwaoma Ajaero who narrated their ordeal in police custody before Omeni’s death, on 4th May, 2015, “My late brother, late Omeni and I went to the Imo State Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force Owerri in honour of an invitation by the Police for Interview. On arrival at the force Headquarters Owerri we were informed that Thaddeus Ajaero and Edwin Ajaero sons of my late father’s first wife had proceeded to the Nigeria Police force, zone 9 Headquarter at Umuahia and the police officers from zone 9 were already waiting to take us to Umuahia. We were arrested, hand cuffed and whisked way to zone 9 Umuahia where we both made statement and were detained”.
Continuing Uwaoma revealed that on 5th May, 2015, the IPO and another colleague of his (name withheld) came to the cell where both of them were detained, called out Omeni and took him away. About 2 hours later the IPO and his colleague called me out from the cell and urgently ordered me to fill the bail bond papers for myself and yet to be seen Omeni. Upon inquiry by me on his whereabout, the IPO cursorily replied that he was outside.
Upon completion of the bail bond papers the IPO took me to his vehicle where I saw my late brother in the car, in almost unconscious state, foaming at the mouth and groaning as he could not talk.
When I asked what happened, the IPO told me that in the course of interview Omeni started behaving somehow and he took him to the police Hospital nearby where he was injected and referred to Emekuku mission hospital. The IPO was of the opinion that Omeni may be reacting to the injection administered on him.
On arrival at Emekuku hospital, Omeni condition had so deteriorated that the Doctors were bent on knowing what the IPO had done to him. All the IPO said was that nothing happened to Omeni except a stick of cigarette he smoked during interrogation. Omeni was admitted over night but was discharged in the morning on reason that his case was beyond their capacity. He was referred to Federal Medical Centre (FMC) where he gave up the ghost on the May 7th, 2015 after all effort made to resuscitate him proved abortive.
Uwaoma seized the platform to appeal to Imo State Government, Imo Commissioner of Police and Members of Civil Society in the State to as a matter of urgency initiate a full scale investigation of the circumstances that led to the dastardly incident.
Meanwhile, when contacted through telephone conversation on the claims made by Ajaero’s family, the Imo State Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) DSP Andrew Enwerem debunked the claim, saying it is baseless and unfounded.
He pointed out that the force headquarters is not aware of such claim as it was never brought to their knowledge.
Reacting on the issue of injection administered to late Omeni Ajaero of the Clinic in zone 9 Umuahia, DSP Enwerem averred that no Police officer would indulge in such act.
