IJAW YOUTHS TO PROTEST AGAINST  MURDER OF 17YR. OLD BY BAYELSA POLICE.

By: Bodmas P. Kemepadei

- Activist to drag Bayelsa police to court over Violation of Human rights.

YENAGOA: Leaders of the Ijaw youths council, Central Zone is set to stage an #Occupyyenagoa protest following the extra-judicial murder of a 17 year old juvenile named Innocent Kokorifa whom was reported by one Comr. Aluzu Ebikebuna Augustine, that men of the Anti-Vice squad in Bayelsa state on 18/8/2016 at 11:00 AM (in the Morning) murdered the 17yr. old via a stray bullet and then framed him as an armed robber inorder to cover their recklessness.

The statement of IYC Central Zone was made Public by the Treasurer of the zone, Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, meanwhile former Spokesman of the Ijaw youths council worldwide, Comrade Owoupele Jeremiah, the deputy speaker of the parliament, Barrister Tare Porri, Robert Igali  (IYC stakeholder) and many other Ijaw youths are currently brueing up and mobilising youths for a massive protest which may likely hold Friday 25th.

Confirming the incident of the killing of Master Kokorifa, the Police through the O/C Anti-Vice labelled Master Kokorifa with 'Armed Robbery' related offences and that he was killed in exchange of a gun duel with members of his team (the Anti-Vice squad).

According to Police reports:

"They got a tip-off that there is a robbery incident going on at Air Force road, opposite PROSCO around 11:00hrs (11 in the Morning). The men of the Anti-Vice team swung into action and confronted the robbers. This led to a gun duel with the Police and the victim was gunned down."

The Police alleged to have recovered a locally made gun from the side of the deceased close to his body as he fell down. The O/C Anti-Vice alleged that on getting reports from his men that a criminal was gunned down at 'Airforce Road', and the body taken to FMC mortuary, he went there and search the deceased. He alleged to have discovered Igbo (Indian hemp) in the pocket of the deceased.

However, a human right activist, Comrade Aluzu Ebikebuna Augustine who was touched by the incident swung into action as the matter involves Violation of Human Right.

According to him "i therefore embarked on an investigation in an attempt to unravel the real gist behind the death of Master Kokorifa. I spoke with Mr. Daniel Kokorifa from Okpotuwari Community of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on phone. He is a Road Safety Officer and father of the deceased. I booked an appointment with him. We eventually met. He was a man well built, in his middle 40's. It wasn't a pretty sight to behold, seeing a man in his middle 40 weeping uncontrollably over his loss. He was a father that just lost a son, his first child out of five. Meeting him Inter presentis, I saw a man with a crushed spirit and a teary eye. As we interact, I saw tears sneaked up his eyes and freely rolled down his cheek.  He informed me about the following:

1. That Innocent Kokorifa was his first Child in a family of five children.

2. Innocent Kokorifa was a loving son, the kind of child every father would pray to have. Doesn't smoke, neither does he keep friends or late night.

3. Innocent Kokorifa was 17 year old, and will turn 18, on the 9/9/2016.

4. That his son (Innocent Kokorifa) has no criminal record whatsoever and until his death, he was not of a questionable character.

5. That Innocent Kokorifa lived with him and his family at Okaka Estate until his untimely death.

6. That late Master Innocent Kokorifa, aged 17, recently sat for the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) and he is awaiting his result before he met his untimely death.

7. That on 18/8/2016, he (Daniel Kokorifa) received a call from his wife that Police shot his first son, Innocent Kokorifa.

8. He instructed his wife to go to police station at Ekeki to inquire about the condition and whereabout of Innocent Kokorifa.

9. That his wife called to inform him that on getting to the station, she said 'Police shot my son", but the Police retorted "do not say Police shot your son, so that Police will investigate the matter for you". However, they admonish and doctored her that if asked, she should say "bad boys shot her son".

10. On hearing this, Mr Daniel Kokorifa said he left Port Harcourt by night bus and arrived Bayelsa around 23:00 hrs. (10:00 pm) thesame day.

11. He arrived Bayelsa and made efforts to locate the whereabout and condition of his son as most Police station he reported to claimed ignorance of the case.

12. He and his family went to the crime scene late in the night where he spotted some puddle of blood on the sand at 'Airforce Road'.

13. That he retired home because of how late it was to continue investigation the ensuing day.

14. That on 19/8/2016 he returned to the locus in quo where he inquired from a woman (name withheld) about the incident that happened the previous day.

15. The woman told him it was men of the Anti-Vice squad that came out the said day (18/8/2016) and shot at an unarmed boy.

16. She insisted that the "environment was peaceful and there was no cause for alarm until the Police in Jean and polo shirts came and shot a gun that was aimed at the deceased."

17. "When the boy fell down, he became lifeless. That the Police prevented people from having a close look at the lifeless body."

18. "They shielded the body of the deceased from onlookers and threw it in their van then they carted away with it."

19. On hearing this, Mr Daniel Kokorifa said he went to the office of Anti-Vice squad at Road Safety road to see the O/C Anti-Vice, but was told the O/C was not on seat and was advised to wait for the O/C

20. That after waiting for almost two hours, he left the premises of Anti-Vice and headed to Federal Medical Center (FMC) Yenagoa, where he confronted one of the Medical Doctors who confirmed that a lifeless body was brought to the Emergency Unit of the Hospital by members of the Anti-Vice team.

21. That the Emergency Unit rejected the body since it was already lifeless.

22. He further went to the mortuary unit, where on enquiry, he was told by the mortuary attendant that a body was brought in by members of the Anti-Vice squad.

23. He was told by the mortuary attendant that the Police paid the first payment of the mortuary bill and signed the mortuary register at exactly 11:59 AM (MORNING) on 18/8/2016 (The previous day).

Note that it almost took the Police one (1) hour to take the body to the mortuary from Okaka to FMC.

24. The lifeless body of the deceased was brought out by the mortuary attendant for identification after he intimated them that he is the father of the deceased.

25. That upon identification of the body, it was noticed that the deceased was hit by a bullet which perforated his oesophagus.

26. He recalled that on the day of the incidence 18/8/2016 according to his wife, Innocent had left the House and went out to visit his Aunt, Miss Gbasiemokumor Lucky (His Mother's sister) who lives at the street adjacent to their house at 10:50am in the morning of Thursday, 18/8/2016.

27. That Innocent was shot by men of the Anti-Vice squad and was taken to Emergency Unit at Federal Medical Center (FMC) by members of the Anti-Vice squad. He was however, confirmed dead by Doctors and was transferred to the mortuary by men of the Anti-Vice squad.

28. That on inquiry from the O/C Anti-Vice team as to what led to the death of his son, the O/C Anti-Vice informed him that there was a robbery incidence at 'Airforce Road' in Okaka. The Anti-Vice squad intervened. In the course, there was exchange of gunfire which led to the death of Master Innocent. A pistol was allegedly recovered from the side of the deceased.


Aluzu said that it should be noted that the Police did not mention where or who was being robbed at the time, before the Police intervened.

He maintained that the locus in quo (Okaka Estate) is purely a residential area. The O/C Anti-Vice did not state who made the distress call and what time the distress call was received by members of his team and they did not also say who the armed robbers victim were.

His statements further reads:

29. The O/C Anti-Vice squad also confirmed the incidence by saying that his men reported a case of robbery to him around 15:00 hours (3:00pm) and that one of the suspect was killed while two others fled.

30. That he (the O/C Anti-Vice) visited the mortuary where his boys claimed to have deposed the body, and searched the corpse of which he recovered Indian hemp (Igbo) from the pocket of the corpse.

31. The father also said that the police often come to that environment to harass and raid innocent civilians for monetary reasons who afterwards pay as high as N15,000 for bail.

I have equally been informed by the father of the deceased that a petition has been filed against O/C Anti-Vice and his team to the IG (Abuja), AIG (Zone 5) and COP (Bayelsa state) for justice to be done.

It is alarming that this incident happened in Yenagoa, the Capital city of Bayelsa state where Legal Aids, Child Protection, Human Right Commission, various Activist groups are situated, yet they are motionless about the incident.

It is evident that the life of civilians is of no premium whatsoever to the Police.  What is more worrisome is that members of the Anti-Vice squad that killed Innocent Kokorifa are yet to be arrested or detained.This is in light with the recent killing of a Police officer in Yenagoa by his colleagues, which saw the team that was involved detained in Abuja.  It is frightening to know that these killer Police officers are still roaming with rifles, going about their duties.

Aluzu maintained that all efforts made by him to speak with the O/C Anti-Vice proved abortive. He therefore demanded that:

1. The O/C Anti-Vice should provide Innocent Kokorifa's criminal records which has previously been investigated by the Police.

2. The Police should produce the gun of the deceased as it is reasonable that they procured his gun from him when he was hit in the course of the gun duel.

3. The Police should publish the result of a ballistic test carried out on the pistol showing the last day it was shot.

4. Publish the residue of gun powder on the victims body.

5. The Police should provide the case file of the deceased which was previously been investigated and incriminated him for them to say that he was a member of an armed robbery gang.

6. The Police should show the finger prints of the deceased on the butt of the pistol.

7. The Police should show the finger prints of the the deceased on the Igbo (Indian hemp) allegedly found on the deceased.

8. That a pathological test should be carried out on the deceased body before he is buried to ascertain if there are traces of Indian hemp (Igbo) in his blood.

9. That the O/C Anti-Vice should provide members of his team involved to be detained immediately while investigation is pending.

10. Is the locus in quo a black spot marked by the Police? If NO, it is a dwelling place. If that be the case, the Police must have received a distress call from the victim of the Armed Robbers or a concerned citizen. The Police should provide details of the distress call".

Aluzu furtger narrated "It is important to note the manner in which this Anti-Vice squad operate. They do not go about in uniform, they rather parade themselves in jeans and and polo shirt, then top it on with skullcap. They roam about wielding heavy rifles, putting civilians in apprehension of their presence. Such is a reminiscent of the dreaded Famoutamgbe era which terrorized Bayelsa state from the brooding years of 2009 to 2011".

"Also, the Police claim that there was a gun duel with robbers at 'Airforce Road' close to Okaka Estate that led to the death of the victim is comical, as residents in that area claimed there was no robbery incident before the Anti-Vice men appeared".

They also said they heard the sound of only one gun shot, after which men of Anti-Vice team carted their victim away. How can a 17 year old with two of his friends go out to rob in his neighborhood at 11:00am, not minding the risk of being recognized? This reasoning is an insult to intellect. Instead of the police to own up their fault they are claiming to have killed a criminal.

Though, I am guided by the fact that it is not in my place to pronounce or condemn anyone guilty or not, the Police should not however shield its defaulting Colleagues from the law if found guilty of any provisions of the Criminal Code Law (2006) of Bayelsa state (CAP.C14 LFN) and other extant relevant enactments. As this will go a long way to win back the trust we repose in them. The Police should mirror the exemplary act of the Assistant Superintendent of Police in the case of Solomon Adekunle v. The State (2006) 14 NWLR (Pt. 1000) 717.

In that case, the appellant was a Sergeant in the Nigeria Police Force who on 7 of February 1997 was on an Anti-Crime patrol duty along Sagamu Benin Express-Way, Lagos, Nigeria. The patrol team was under the command of an Assistant Superintendent of Police. On arrival at the Express Way, the Commander of the team divided them into two. The appellant’s team was stationed along the Benin-Sagamu side of the Express Way. The Commander and his other team were on the Sagamu-Benin side. The two teams were about 100 meters apart. Not long after the arrival of the patrol teams and taking their positions, the Commander of the team heard gun shots from the Benin-Sagamu side of the Expressway. He shouted and asked who fired the gun shots. He saw the appellant walking towards a moving bus with passengers. The appellant replied to the Commander’s question that the gun shots were fired by him. The Commander asked the appellant why he fired the gun shots and there was no reply from the appellant. The Commander then quickly disarmed the appellant before moving towards the bus where he found that three men and a girl, Alice Tominiyi inside the bus had been hit by the bullets from the gun shots fired by the appellant. The victims were taken to the hospital where the girl, Alice eventually died on 8 February 1997. The appellant after the completion of the investigation of the case was charged before the Ijebu-Ode High Court of Justice of Ogun State for murder of Alice Tominiyi contrary to Section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code Law of Ogun State. In the course of the trial, which the Prosecution listed seven witnesses to be called; two witnesses gave evidence for the Prosecution. They are the Commander of the patrol team and the investigating police officer" Aluzu added.

Aluzu therefore urged human Right Activists in Bayelsa state to wake up from hibernation and live up  to their responsibilities. "I would have readily represented and handled this case on behalf of the deceased family pro bono (free of charge) if I had already been called to Bar" he said.

Read his statements urging Human rights activist in Bayelsa:

"This is a clarion call for us all to stand and seek for justice. Nobody is above the law.we must demand justice for Innocent Kokorifa whose life and dreams have been sniffed out by the clumsiness of men of the Nigerian police force.

I wish to end this piece with the words of Lord Hewitt CJ in his far reaching judgement in the case of R v. Sussex Justices ex p McCarthy [1924] 1 KB 256 where he said inter alia that:

"...it is not merely of some importance but is of fundamental importance that justice should not only be done, but should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done."



May we never live to see the day people will be scampering for safety at the sight of a Police officer in this country. And may we never have to defend ourselves from men of the Police force thesame way we defend ourselves from Criminals", he added again.

It could be recalled that this is not the first case of extra-judicial murder in the state, same cases were witnessed in 2009- 2011, where men of the then "Operation Famoutamgbe" state security outfit murdered youths in the guise of clamping down on criminals.

Below are the conract details:
Aluzu Ebikebuna Augustine,
Faculty of Law,
University of Uyo.
ebisko19@gmail

See story:
http://www.bodmasnews.com/2016/08/ijaw-youths-to-protest-against-murder.html