How a Delsu undergraduate & friend were Lynched in Lagos

Policemen attached to the Badagry Police Division, Lagos State, and some hoodlums have been accused of killing a 25-year-old undergraduate of Delta State University, Ifechukwude Nwainokpor, and his friend, identified simply as Kazeem. An eight-minute video clip of the gruesome killing, which was made available to PUNCH Metro, showed the two victims handcuffed together. They were covered in their own blood and beaten to death with sticks. Tyreswere also put round their necks. An irate mob could be seen in the video, shouting, “die, die, burn them, burn them.” At some points in the video, a policeman was seen interviewingthe boys. He asked who sent them (victims) to rob the area, anaccusation they denied. One of the hoodlums, holding a sharp object attempted to cut off the private part of one of the victims. Nwainokpor could be seen pleading with the hoodlums and policemen to spare his life, saying he could identify himself ifgiven a chance. His plea, however, fell on deaf ears. Our correspondent, who visited the family of Nwainokpor on Tuesday, learnt that the lynching took place around 3pm on July 21, 2013 in Ajara area of Badagry, a community not far from Nwainokpor’s family home. His father, Samuel, told PUNCH Metro that his son was arrested while passing through a street inthe area but a misunderstandinglater ensued and the hoodlums pounced on him and Kazeem. He added that Nwainokpor, whowas nicknamed Ify, was a final year student of Geology and Mining. He said, “On that particular day, I was in Ghana when I received a telephone call that I should comeimmediately. My wife was in DeltaState taking care of her mother. “When I arrived two days later, my relatives and the caretaker of my house told me that my son was killed in the Ajara area alongwith his friend. I was devastated. “I got my son a temporary job with a Customs licensed agent since their lecturers were on strike. He worked everyday except on Sundays when he visited his friends. On that day, he went to see Kazeem and they were strolling around Ajara.” Samuel said because there had been a robbery in Ajara four daysearlier, some of the residents were on the lookout for strange faces. He added that when the youth saw two unknown young men, they accosted them and an argument ensued. He said the youth called the headof the vigilante group in the area, one Asiribo. He said, “Asiribo came to the scene with a locally-made pistol and handcuffs. He handcuffed myson and his friend before askingthem questions. “Later, it was decided that the boys be taken to the Baale, Agano Oniyon of Agamade Ajara. But as they were going, Asiribo, while trying to return his gun into its pouch, mistakenly shot himself in the stomach and died.” Samuel said Asiribo’s death infuriated the youth, who blamed the boys for his death. “The mob picked up sticks and beat them to death. Policemen were there,” he said. Holding back tears, the retired immigration officer added that the police treated the matter as arobbery case. Beating his chest, Samuel said there was no way his son would have been involved in armed robbery. He said, “I have been living in Badagry since 1982. I have only two children and Ifechukwude isthe first. Ironically, he was born in that same area where he was killed. “I have lived in this area without any trouble and the residents can tell you that my sons are good boys.” Nwainokpor’s boss, Aloysius Onyenibedi, described him as an honest and hardworking person. “I trusted him to the extent that Iused to keep a lot of money with him. He was good to my children and was honest,” he said. The Nwainokpor family berated the Divisional Police Officer, Badagry Police Station, Dankoli Mohammed, for the manner he treated the case. Samuel said when he approached the DPO, he was toldthat his son was killed at midnight for armed robbery. He said, “When the policemen came to take the corpses, guns were planted on them. Policemenat the station told the DPO that they were robbers. Their corpseswere taken along with that Asiribo to Badagry General Hospital’s mortuary. “The following morning, the DPO released Asiribo’s corpse for burial without investigation. My relatives went to the station and after showing the DPO the video, the matter was transferred to theArea K Command. “At Present, Asiribo’s son has fled, while the DPO has been unable to identify the policemen who were present at the scene when my son and his friend were killed.” PUNCH Metro however learnt thatthrough the video, some people had arrested one of the perpetrators. The suspect had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.