Men of the Nigerian Police Force in the Mabushi division in Abuja have tortured a restaurant worker, Shedrack Ochoche, to death after locking him up in cell for several days.
Police Operation Commander, identified as Superintendent of Police Uche, bragged that nothing would happen to him and his team for torturing Ochoche to death.
It was reported that 29 years old Ochoche, from Ogbaulu community in the Agatu local government area of Benue State, was tortured to death on January 17, 2022.
He was formerly employed to carry out janitorial services in a restaurant operated by a Chinese woman popular known as Madam “Pimpim.”
A prominent human rights lawyer in Abuja, Napoleon Otache, in a notice sent to news men, it was learnt that the deceased resigned from the engaged Janitorial services of the Chinese woman’s restaurant when he was owed more than three months’ salary.
He added that five days after Ochoche resigned from the cleaning job, the Chinese woman alleged that her car batteries were missing and she went and lodged a complaint at the Mabushi Police Division, Abuja, which led to the worker’s arrest.
Barrister Otache in conjunction with Madam Hannah Ochepo and Hon. Godday Samuel, Honourable member representing the good people of Apa-Agatu federal constituency wish to draw the attention of the members of the public of the gruesome and unjustifiable murder of a 29-year-old man, SHEDRACK OCHOCHE, an indigene of Ogbaulu Community in Agatu LGA of Benue State by the personnel of the Nigeria Police force, Mabushi Police Division, Abuja.
“Five days after SHEDRACK OCHOCHE resigned from his cleaning job, the Chinese woman alleged that her car batteries were missing and she went and lodged a complaint at the Mabushi Police Division, Abuja. This alleged theft happened five days after the deceased had resigned from the cleaning job in the Chinese restaurant owned and run by the woman.
“The Nigeria police personnel of the Mabushi Division tracked, arrested SHEDRACK OCHOCHE and detained him, he was reportedly tortured mercilessly until he died in police detention 17th January, 2022.
“While in detention, his family members visited him and on seeing his bad condition due to injuries inflicted on him, his family members made a passionate appeal for his bail but their appeal for bail fell on deaf ears.
“The police man in charge of the case, OC SURVEILLANCE, SP UCHE threatened that no amount of begging would make him release Mr. Ochoche SHEDRACK from detention until the complete money for the batteries was paid.
“The policeman also boasted that if he killed Ochoche SHEDRACK, there would not be anybody to challenge him. The policeman indeed carried out his threat by killing Mr. SHEDRACK OCHOCHE in a gruesome manner.
“The said SP UCHE with other police personnel tortured SHEDRACK OCHOCHE until he died in the police detention and the police personnel did not even bother to inform the deceased’s family members.
The deceased family members and their lawyer, Barr. Ediga O. BENJAMIN visited the Mabushi Police Division on Monday only to be told that Shedrack Ochoche had died in the early hours of Monday.
“To confirm the sad news, the family members were taken to the Wuse General Hospital only to discovered the dead body of Mr. SHEDRACK OCHOCHE with blood gushing out of his mouth, ear and nose. The dead body was abandoned by the police in a private vehicle parked in the Wuse General hospital premises.
“The traumatised family and the good people of Ogbaulu Community in Agatu LGA hereby wish to inform the authorities in Nigeria that they would not watch their son been killed like a chicken by the Nigerian Police personnel just to appease a Chinese woman on the baseless and malicious allegation of battery theft.
“It’s on note that Since the gruesome killing of Mr Shedrack Ochoche was made public, Barrister NAPOLEON OTACHE, Madam Hannah Ochepo Onyokwula and Hon. Godday Samuel and other members of the Ogbaulu Community have been making frantic efforts at seeking justice for the slained SHEDRACK OCHOCHE but the authorities have not responded as at the time of this report.
“Barrister NAPOLEON OTACHE, Madam Hannah Ochepo Onyokwula and Hon. Godday Samuel are hereby calling on the relevant authorities to immediately swing into action to make sure the blood-thirsty policemen and killers of Mr. SHEDRACK OCHOCHE are brought to book in accordance with the laws of the land.
“The renown Abuja based human rights lawyer, Barrister NAPOLEON OTACHE particularly lamented the daily incidences of torture and degrading treatment of Nigeria citizens by the Nigeria police personnel just to appease foreigners and he therefore call on the President Mohammed Buhari to direct the Inspector General of Police, the Attorney General of the Federation and the National Human Rights Commission to put immediate stop to this ugly trend so as to avert another violent demonstration as witnessed during the ENDSARS protest.
“Barrister NAPOLEON OTACHE, Hannah Ochepo Onyokwula and Hon.Godday Samuel are appealing to the family of Mr. SHEDRACK OCHOCHE and the good people of Ogbaulu Community to remain calm and law abiding while lawful pressure would continue to be mounted on the authorities until justice is done in the case.”
