Slain Nigerian: Family rejects China’s N4m compensation

ANTHONY OMOH

The relatives of the late Ekene Ojide, a Nigerian who was recently murdered in China have flayed the N4 million compensation paid them by the Chinese Government.


Receiving the corpse of the late Ojide who arrived the country on board Ethiopian Airlines at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, they said the amount paid as compensation was insulting and unacceptable.

The late victim was allegedly clubbed to death in China on September 25, 2008 by operatives of a private Chinese security firm after a small argument had ensued between them.

Speaking to newsmen on behalf of the family, elder brother of the victim, Basil Ojide who was in China to collect the corpse said the Chinese company and its authorities virtually forced him to sign the agreement in accepting the N4m compensation which they offered.

He said that not until he agreed and signed the compensation document, did the Chinese release, the autopsy report to him.

Mr. Basil Ojide, accused Chinese authorities of "murdering his sibling in cold blood".

Narrating the circumstances which allegedly led to Ekene’s death, Basil said his brother was told by the private security men guarding a market square near in Guangzhou Province, where Nigerians buy clothing to leave.

He said that his brother obeyed and left though he had some arguments with them over the issue as he was rudely pushed by the operatives.

According to him, the security guards came later and attacked him, clubbed him where he instantly went into a state of coma. Basil however said that Ekene remained in the state the comma for three weeks until he died on October 8.

He enjoined the Nigerian government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the brutal murder of his brother, alleging that serious injustice was meted out to his family by the Chinese company and its government.

According to him, Nigerians who witnessed the murder and reported to the police were locked up and threatened not to say what happened or else they would have their residential permit revoked.

Basil said what was interpreted to him from the autopsy which was written in Chinese stated that his brother fell from a stair case and was being rescued by the security operatives when he went into coma. He said that the autopsy would be repeated in Nigeria to confirm the circumstances that led to his brother’s death.

Basil was bitter with Nigerian Embassy in China and the Ministry of Foreign affairs, saying they failed to give him necessary assistance while the impasse between the family and the Chinese lasted.

Meanwhile at the airport, there was wailing and weeping when the casket was brought out from the airport checking areas.

Ojide, 31, from Aguleri local government area in Anambra State was in a brown casket which was opened for his families, friends and relations numbering 50 to see including delegates from the Nigerian community in China who were all wearing black.

The cloth on the corpse’s face was removed exposing deep cuts, battering and scars of someone that had been brutally beaten.

http://odili.net/news/source/2008/dec/12/800.html