The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Department of State Services (DSS) have been ordered to pay N150 million in restitution for the murder of Samuel Okoro, Ifeanyi Ejiofor’s personal assistant and Nnamdi Kanu’s counsel.
On October 27, the presiding judge, Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, gave the ruling in a lawsuit Felicia Okoro, the deceased man’s widow, had brought against the NPF, the inspector general of police (IGP), and the DSS.
Aside from Chukwuka Chizorom Ofoegbu, other defendants include the director general of the DSS, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian army, and the chief of army staff.
Recall that around 2:30 am on June 6, joint security personnel broke into Ejiofor’s home in Umunakwa Ifite, Oraifite, and Ekwusigo LGA in Anambra state.
While Okoro was being killed, Ejiofor’s older brother and three domestic staff members were kidnapped.
It’s said that Ejiofor put Okoro’s body inside his burning automobile.
The court received the CCTV footage that documented the invasion as exhibits.
The judge deemed the invasion to be illegal, unlawful, oppressive, and inhumane while issuing the verdict, pointing out that it violates Okoro’s fundamental rights to life.
“Before I conclude, I wish to state that after watching the CCTV footage, EXHIBIT A, I ran out of words to express my feelings to what I saw,” the judge said.
“I couldn’t believe what I saw was carried out by human beings like us and the applicant. It was unfortunate and unbelievable. They didn’t only take the laws into their hands but behaved as if they are God who created life including Mr Samuel Okoro, the late husband of the applicant.
“In the first place, there was nothing shown as the basis why the applicant’s late husband’s principal’s house was invaded and why the applicant’s husband was brutally murdered in cold blood and subsequently burnt.
“Even if he had committed murder, the respondents went too far by taking laws into their hands.
“The applicant and her son have been thrown into untold hardship, depression and trauma both mentally, psychologically and socially.
“The applicant’s late Husband was the breadwinner to his aged parents. The children have lost their father and no doubt it shall affect their academic pursuit looking up to their mother and God only to succeed in life.
“Again, the applicant’s husband lost his life out of overzealous officers’ acts, who to my mind are callous-hearted human beings. They are not supposed to be in the service nor given responsibilities. May the soul of the departed, rest in perfect peace Amen.
“No amount of compensation can bring him back to life and the loss or injury suffered cannot be healed forever. It is really very sad and unfortunate. They should be brought to book.”
The judge ordered the police, DSS, army and Chizorom to tender an unreserved public apology to the applicant (Felicia Okoro) in one national and domestic newspaper.
The court also ordered them to pay the sum of N100 million as general damages and another N50 million as compensation in favour of Okoro over the death of her husband.
The court also ordered the NPF, DSS, Nigerian army and Chizorom to pay the applicant five million naira as the cost of prosecuting the suit.