Murder of Delta lawyers: Police declare 5 suspected kidnappers wanted

Police have case to answer —NBA BY Emma Amaize & EGUFE YAFUGBORHI WARRI—DELTA State Police Command has declared five suspected kidnappers/armed robbers wanted over the alleged murder of two lawyers, Egwuono Dafiogho and Samuel Ekwughanju, on March 27, in Ozoro, Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State. Meanwhile, the Warri branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has said the Police have a case to answer over the alleged murder of their colleagues. The Warri branch of NBA, after a four-hour procession in the city, in protest over the murder of Dafiaghor and Ekwaghanju on their way to a Delta State High Court sitting in Ozoro, accused the police of jumping to conclusions with respect to the police recent statements on the matter. However, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, gave the names of those declared wanted as Chucks, Obeji, Kelvin, Kaya Morgan and Shakara. Aduba said they are members of “a dreadful and bloodletting gang, earlier led by Kelvin of Kokori, now on trial in Abuja and one Jonathan Ikoli, aka GSM, presently in our custody.” According to him, the gang was responsible for the kidnap and killing of a former deputy governor of Anambra State and two others in Agbor, Delta State after collecting ransom in 2013; kidnap of the son of the Secretary to Delta State Government, SSG, in 2012 and others. But NBA Warri branch chairman, Mr. Ben Oji, who briefed newsmen while reacting to comments credited to the state Police Commission, Mr. Aduba, absolving the police of any involvement in the matter, and also declaring five persons wanted in connection with the killings of the lawyers, said: “I saw the statement by the CP. It is unfortunate that they came up with such statements even before commencement of investigation. From the scenario of this case, both while it was in court and the death of one of the suspects in police custody, the police have questions to answer. Investigation must start from them. “We shall today (yesterday) send a petition to the National Human Rights Commission asking for thorough investigation into the incident. We have contracted the NBA President, Mr. Okey Wali, SAN, who forwarded a petition to the Inspector General of Police asking him to take over the case.”