₦airaland Forum

The International Federation of Women Lawyers, (FIDA) Nigeria, the Akin Fadeyi Foundation (AFF), and the Women's Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) have jointly petitioned Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, seeking the release of the report of investigations conducted on the death of a 33-year-old Fidelis Osaghae.

The deceased, a father of one, was, until his death on 29 July 2024, the manager at Angle 90 branch of Valchi Fast Food and Bar, Auchi, Edo State.

According to his wife, Mrs Esther Osaghae, the circumstances surrounding her husband’s death were questionable, even as she alleged that the deceased’s employer and owner of the bar, Mr Valentine Oyemike, has questions to answer.

However, the rights groups commended Mr Egbetokun for his intervention following AFF’s petition on the matter at the time, noting that the report of the investigation was yet to be made public while the alleged suspects were still reportedly walking the streets freely.

Petition
In a petition jointly signed by the AFF’s Founder and Executive Director, Mr Akin Fadeyi; FIDA’s National President, Elina Martins, and the Secretary General of WRAPA, Saudatu Mahdi, MFR, a copy of which was made available to the media, the organisations urged the police to embark on a thorough, quick, and transparent investigation into Mr Osaghae's death.

The groups also demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of all suspects including Mr Oyemike in whose employment and custody Mr Osaghe allegedly met his untimely death in the early hours of 29 July 2024.

They disputed the autopsy report conducted on the deceased, claiming it is inconclusive and may hand a leeway to freedom for the suspects.

They said the report's failure to address the injuries on Mr Osaghae’s body, including his broken head and scalp, has raised questions about the thoroughness of the investigation.

The petition, dated 19 January, highlights the inconsistencies in the autopsy report and the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, while they “vehemently call for another independent post-mortem examination to determine the true cause of the death.”

Background

Earlier in August 2024, during a press briefing organised by AFF, Mrs Osaghae narrated that on the midnight of 29 July 2024, the deceased returned home from work at about 2:30 a.m. on a bike to retrieve ‘something’ his boss, Mr Oyemike, instructed him to bring.

The deceased had asked his wife, Mrs Osaghae, not to lock the door as he would be back soon.
But when her husband failed to return home or answer his phone calls, Mrs. Osaghae began calling him repeatedly, but to no avail. By 5:00 a.m., she realised he was still not home and decided to contact his colleague, identified simply as Ms Tracey, who works as a supervisor at his workplace.

After multiple attempts, Ms Tracey finally answered, calling out, “Mana!!”, an abbreviation for Manager, before abruptly ending the call. Worried and persistent, Mrs. Osaghae tried to reach Ms Tracey again and when she finally picked, she assured her that “everything was under control,’’ before hanging up again.

Unable to get further answers, Mrs Osaghae’s anxiety grew until around 6:00 am, when her husband’s employer, Mr. Valentine Oyemike contacted her. He instructed her to come to Favour Hospital in Afasho, Edo State.

As a nursing mother, Mrs. Osaghae could not go to the hospital, so her elder sister, identified simply as Ms Etomi volunteered to go on her behalf. Upon arrival at the hospital, Ms Etomi met the devastating sight of Mr Osaghae’s lifeless body in Mr Oyemike’s car. The hospital confirmed he had been brought in dead.

Autopsy Report Raises More Questions than Answers

The petitioners pointed out that a thorough examination of the autopsy report revealed several inconsistencies and omissions, raising concerns about the thoroughness and integrity of the investigation.

They said according to the report, the deceased had dark patches on his chest, which did not show a "vital reaction," indicating that they may have occurred post-mortem or very close to the time of death.

The petitioners wrote: “However, the report fails to explore the possibility that these patches could be indicative of physical restraint or blunt force trauma.

“Furthermore, the report notes the presence of blood stains on the deceased's trousers but fails to address the source of these stains or the external injuries that may have caused them.”

This omission, they said, raises questions about the thoroughness of the external examination and the possibility that critical evidence may have been overlooked.

“The report also fails to provide a detailed analysis of the deceased's hands, arms, or fingernails, which are critical areas for identifying defensive wounds in a suspected struggle. This lack of scrutiny raises concerns about the possibility of foul play and the need for further investigation,” they added.

The human rights groups pointed out that the autopsy report may be incomplete or compromised, and that the lack of clarity in certain findings suggests that critical evidence may have been intentionally suppressed or obscured, adding that the contradictions between witness accounts and forensic evidence also raise concerns about the integrity of the investigation.

“If the autopsy was conducted under undue influence, there is a risk that critical evidence may have been overlooked, or intentionally suppressed in the report, to obscure the true cause of death,” they wrote.

Call for Independent Post-mortem examination

The groups have, therefore, called for an independent post-mortem examination to be conducted by “unbiased forensic experts.”

This examination, they demanded, should reassess the dark patches on the chest, investigate the cause of the blood stains on the deceased's trousers, and perform a more detailed examination of areas prone to defensive wounds.

“A toxicological re-evaluation is necessary to clarify the exact timeline of poisoning and whether it was a chronic exposure or acute ingestion. Further analysis may also detect other substances, such as sedatives, that could explain incapacitation before ingestion,” they said.

Honestey:
They are still investigating Mohbad's death

Arabk25:
The Nigerian police force are found of hiding and compromising autopsy report in this country, it's a shame that someone who died in this gruesome matter the police will be playing hide and sick games to unravel the actual cause of the death, making families, friends and relatives to be frustrated over the whole issue too bad

Mitsurugi:
Because money is more important. Most times at the station and in a lot of security establishments some officer more often than not always calls you aside and gives you a price to make your case go away.