Panel summons former Akwa Ibom speaker, DSS operative over police brutality

… as medical pathologist testified on murder case

Abasiofiok Inyang

The Judicial Panel of Investigation on Incidences of Police Brutality and human rights violation has summoned a former Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and current member representing Etinan/Nsit Ubium/Nsit Ibom Federal Constituency, Mr Onofiok Luke to appear before the panel in lieu of a petition brought before it by one Dr David Emmanuel Udo. 

Also summoned alongside the former speaker in the petition, no JPPB/MEMO/069, is a DSS operative, one Godwin Courage Eze, who was said to have been his orderly as at the time of the incident. 

The two are summoned on an alleged case of assault meted to the petitioner when Luke was the speaker of the State House of Assembly. 

The panel has ordered that the duo be served with copies of the petition and Memo and that they should appear in person on December 8, 2020. 

Meanwhile, a medical pathologist who carried out a post-mortem on one Blessing Alade Jonathan said to have been murdered by one Police Inspector Edo Henry and SP Odim in Iwuokpom, Ibeno Local Government Area, Dr. Emeka Nwafor today appeared before the Panel to testify and give an insight into the result of the autopsy. 

It would be recalled that Dr. Nwafor was earlier summoned to appear before the Panel last Monday which he failed to appear. 

But when Dr. Nwafor, a senior lecturer at the University of Uyo and an honorary Consultant Pathologist at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, UUTH, entered the witness box on Thursday, giving details of his examination on the body of the deceased Blessing Alade Jonathan. 

He said that the deceased had multiple complex fractures on the left thigh bone with surrounding muscle and soft tissue severely damaged. The right leg was said to also fractured. 

He also noted that the internal organs of the deceased was pale which according to him, was a sign of little or no blood or excessive blood loss. 

He submitted that the deceased had “a high-velocity missile” injury in the body indicating gunshot. 

The respondents- Inspector Edo Henry and SP Odim failed to appear before the panel. Police counsel and representative of the respondents, Blessing Philip, informed the panel that Edo Henry has since been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force.

The panel said whether he was dismissed or not, it would not stop him from appearing before it to answer on what he knows about the case.