Benue family demands justice over extra- judicial killing of their son

The family of Peter Onminyi who was allegedly killed by men of the Operation Zenda Squad of the Benue State Police Command has cried out for justice, demanding the release of his corpse to the family for a decent burial according to Idoma traditional rites and custom.

The family also seeks the release of the items looted from their house and requests to be allowed access to their home that was sealed by the police.

Peter Onminyi, 23, who hailed from Ijigban district in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State was reportedly killed by police at about 8 pm on May 19, 2024 when the security operatives allegedly invaded their residence located at Welfare Quarters Area of Makurdi, the state capital.

Speaking to newsmen in Makurdi, on Wednesday, the father of the deceased, Joseph Onminyi, a retired health worker of the Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services, said that his son was a complete gentleman who committed no offence known to the family or the general public before police came to the house to killed him.

Pa Onminyi, who was in the company of his three children, also alleged that after the policemen invaded the house and shot his son to death, they also took his dead body, looted some of their home appliances and forcefully ejected the family out of the house.

The septuagenarian narrated tearfully: “I am Mr Joseph Onminyi, the father of the deceased, late Peter Onminyi, whom the police shot to death on the 19th May 2024 in my own house not even outside.

“No reason was given by the police for their actions. They didn’t ask or tell anybody about the offence he committed, rather they just killed him while he was eating at the dining hall.

“They just jumped through the fence of my house and after entering the house, they started shooting sporadically and also shot at my son who was eating at the dining table.

“Not only that, after shooting him, they took him away and they evacuated all the home properties, including radio, refrigerator, washing machine, gas cooker and cylinder as well as two motorcycles and every other things in the house.

“I think this action could be seen and called armed robbery because they came unannounced and nobody was informed of what they came for. Whether they came to check anything or they came to investigate anyone, they didn’t say anything, rather they shot and killed my innocent child.

“After killing him, the police still took his body away to an unknown destination. Up till this moment, I don’t know where my son’s lifeless body is. Not only that, police still shutdown my house. They locked the entrance gate to my house. My house is still under lock and key since the incident happened in May this year.

“My family and I have been sleeping outside our comfort home and on an uncompleted building. I therefore cry to the country Nigeria and the whole world at large to come to my aid and address the police brutality on innocent citizen.”

He lamented that police brutality in Nigeria has become too much, stressing that even when his son was not invited by police for questioning of any crime and committed no offence of any crime or any kind, police came to the house and just shot him for no reason.

“I have instituted a case of breach of human rights against the police authority, but since May, the police authority is using their power to delay the case in the court. They have refused to make appearances in the court, which means that the police has power and consider herself above the law not to appear in the law court.

“At first, we thought that those people who came to attacked my house and killed my innocent child just disguised themselves as police, that police couldn’t behave the way they did, but after the innocent boy was killed , we started checking and moving round police stations in Makurdi. Then we saw that they are truly policemen because we saw some of the properties taken away from my house at the Operation Zenda office and we recognised those items.

“It was there that the police informed me through my lawyer that my son died and that they had deposited the corpse at the mortuary but they didn’t tell us which mortuary.

“As I speak with you, I have nowhere to stay. My wife and my few children are just roaming about the street.

“I, therefore, call on the entire world to hear and see what the Nigeria Police is doing to me and my family. Civil society organisations, human rights lawyers should please help me avail justice for my son.

“I sincerely appeal for urgent intervention of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to ensure speedy dispensation of justice in the delayed hearing on the case of this extra judicial killing of our son, Peter Onminyi by men of the Nigeria Police,” he stated.

When contacted, Benue State Command Police Public Relations Officer SP Catherine Anene said that it was a case of someone involved in kidnapping and armed robbery.

“I am aware of the case which involves a boy who is into kidnapping. I think the police went there for arrest and in the process, one of the boys started exchanging gunfire with the police and in the process, he was killed.

“However, am not sure of the name but I will still get back to you, ” she said.