# Justice4JoyOdama
RE: CALL FOR JUSTICE FOR THE MURDER OF MY
DAUGHTER, JOY ODAMA BY ALHAJI USMAN ADAMU.
My name is Mrs Philomena ODAMA. I am a native of Yala
LGA in Cross River State. I am resident at old Karmo village
in Abuja.
Joy Odama is my first daughter. She is a 200 level
undergraduate of Mass Communications at the Cross River
State University; who just returned for Christmas holidays
and met her untimely death.
On the 18th Dec, 2016, one Elizabeth from Ogoja LGA, Cross
River State who is my daughters friend visited us and told
Joy to accompany her to see one Alhaji Usman Adamu who
she said was a philanthropist that gives scholarship to
young students. She said the Alhaji lives in the same
neighborhood, precisely at Ibro Quarters, Old Karmo-Abuja.
Knowing Elizabeth as a long time friend and without any
suspicion, she innocently followed her to the said Alhaji's
house. On getting there, my daughter called me that the
Alhaji wants to see me. I asked why and she said that the
Alhaji wants to help her with her education with other girls
who lives in the neighborhood who are there with their
parents. I quickly got to the house and Alhaji Usman
ADAMU promised to help in my daughters education and
equally promised to get me a job with the Nigerian Security
& Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC). We exchanged numbers, i
graciously thanked him and left with my daughter.
Two days later on the 20th December, 2016 in the evening,
Alhaji Usman ADAMU called my daughter and said his
house help is seriously sick and that she should please
come and look after her while he goes to get a doctor. He
also said he has called other girls (i.e the other girls we saw
in his house the previous day). Joy told me and i allowed her
to go. That was the last time i saw my daughter alive.
After a while on the same day, i called Joy and she said she
was at the house with the other girls and will soon be
coming back. About an hour later, when she was not yet
back, i called severally but she did not pick. Out of curiosity,
i called Alhaji Usman ADAMU on his number 08179606208
but he too did not pick. I became more worried and went to
the house but couldn't gain access to Alhaji's apartment.
The next morning, i called Joy and Alhaji ADAMU several
times to no avail. Eventually, Alhaji ADAMU picked his call
and to my surprise, he pretended not to know who i was nor
who Joy was. When i pressed further he said " did anything
happen to Joy" as if she does not know where she is. At
this point i knew all was not well.
In panic, i called my husband (who was not around at the
time due to the nature of his work), my relatives and
neighbors and we all agreed to report to the police. As we
were about stepping out to the police station, we saw two
policemen in our house who asked us to follow them to the
police station at Karmo. On getting there, the DPO informed
us that all the girls that went to Alhaji's house are all
unconscious; that one is not responding to treatment while
the others are responding. We requested to see Joy but we
were turned down and asked to come back the next day. We
pressed further but the DPO insisted we go and come back
as directed. The next day being 22nd December, 2016 i went
back to the police station in company of relatives and a
lawyer who is a close family friend. To my utter shock, i
was told that my daughter was dead and has been taken to
the mortuary.
We asked to know how, why and what led to Joy's death
and the DPO, CSP NKEM RAPHAEL declined further
comments. Our lawyer asked if the Alhaji has been arrested
but CSP NKEM RAPHAEL bluntly told us that as far he is
concerned, Alhaji is not culpable, no crime has been
committed, that my daughter died a natural death and he
cannot arrest Alhaji Usman ADAMU. DPO NKEM told the
lawyer to take the matter to his superiors but that he has
already informed them about the matter and as far as they
are concerned, Alhaji ADAMU cannot be arrested. We
requested to know the whereabout of my daughters corpse
and the other girls responding to treatment so we can
interview them. The DPO directed us to Federal Medical
Center, Airport Road Abuja and on getting to the mortuary,
we discovered body has already been embalmed. When we
asked why my daughters body was embalmed without our
knowledge, one of the attendant's confided in us that Alhaji
Usman ADAMU first brought the dead body in the early
hours of 21st Dec,2016 claiming to be the father of the girl.
But on seeing the body, they suspected foul play and
insisted that they will not admit the body until they see a
police or doctor's report. Alhaji Usman ADAMU left and
came back with DPO NKEM RAPHAEL of Karmo Divisional
Police who ordered them to immediately embalm the body.
We also discovered that the other girls the DPO claimed
were on admission in the hospital were not there. We went
back to the police station to find out why our daughters
body would be embalmed without our prior consent. At the
police station, i saw Martha, one of the girls whom i met at
Alhaji Usman ADAMU'S house. She was by the police canter
and i asked her what happened to Joy and she narrated the
following; " on the 20th of December, 2016 Alhaji Usman
ADAMU called her to come to his house, that he has already
called the other girls to help him look after his house help
who was very sick. But her elder brother ( Emmanuel, who
was also in the police station with her) stopped her from
going to Alhaji's house that day. But that she sneaked very
early in the morning to Alhaji's house the following day and
on getting there she was shocked at what she saw. She saw
my daughter , Joy ODAMA lying lifeless on the floor and the
other girls were stooling and vomiting. She became afraid
and tried to run out of the house but Alhaji Usman ADAMU
and some inside the house held her back and brought her to
the police station. When i was about asking her further
questions, some police men shouted at her to stop talking
and whisked her away.
We went back again to the DPO, CSP NKEM RAPHAEL to
ask why my daughter was embalmed without our
knowledge and that we heavily suspect foul play and
demanded for an explanation and further investigation. The
DPO reiterated his initial position and bluntly told us not to
pursue this case further, that he would advise us to dialogue
with Alhaji Usman ADAMU for our daughters burial. He
insisted he has nothing more to do with us until we agree to
meet with Alhaji Usman ADAMU.
On the advise of a family friend, we agreed to meet with
Alhaji Usman ADAMU to shed more light on what actually
transpired. On the agreed date of the meeting being 24th
Dec., 2016 by 10am, we were at the police station with our
lawyer but on sighting the lawyer, the DPO lied that the
meeting has been postponed. When the lawyer asked why,
he said that the Alhaji was not around and that his number
is not connecting, that he will call the lawyer and inform her
of the next date for the meeting. Immediately the lawyer left,
the DPO quickly called us inside his office and we were so
surprised to see Alhaji Usman ADAMU sitting right there.
The DPO told us to put off our phones and drop it on his
desk , that he does not want the meeting to be recorded. In
attendance was the DPO, CSP NKEM RAPHAEL, DCO, SP
MICHAEL OBIORA, the Inspector
Crime and Alhaji Usman ADAMU. On our side was my
husband, myself, relatives and a family friend.
The DPO was the first to speak. He said if we know what is
good for us we should agree to whatever the Alhaji will offer
us and desist from further pursuing this matter. Alhaji
Usman ADAMU then offered to settle the matter with Three
Hundred Thousand Naira(N300,000) and we became
infuriated with anger, left home and informed the lawyer
what happened. The lawyer insisted that further
investigation be carried out. The DPO again called for a
second meeting where we met with AIG Umoru Usman
Shehu; AIG Intelligence, Force Headquarters Abuja. AIG
Umoru told us bluntly also that investigation in this matter is
closed and cannot be reopened. He said Alhaji Usman
ADAMU should add an additional One Hundred Thousand
Naira (N100,000) to his initial offer. He told us harshly that
that is the much he can do in this matter and that is his final
decision and it is in our best interest to accept the offer. At
this point, apparently sensing the threat in his tone, a family
friend present called us aside and advised that we collect
the money to give them a false believe that we have agreed
to their terms while we go home and think of the next line of
action, including having it as an exhibit.
As it stands now, it is very visible the blind and audible to
the deaf that Alhaji Usman ADAMU has people in high
places within the Nigerian Police Force and have connived
with them to deny our poor family justice. So, i am
passionately pleading and calling on the government and the
general public to come to my aid so that my daughters
gruesome death will not be in vain. Investigations has
revealed that my daughter, Joy Odama is not the first girl
that Alhaji Usman ADAMU has killed on the pretext of
helping them.
I am using this medium to appeal to all to help me seek for
justice in the painful death of my daughter.
Thank You.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs Philomena ODAMA.