Mrs Chidinma, wife of Mr Johnson Chidozie Edozieuno, a victim of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Awkuzu in Anambra state has told the state Judicial Panel of Inquiry on ENDSARS that officers upon arresting her husband told her to remarry as he won’t return alive.
Edozieuno, in a petition to the Judicial commission of inquiry into Police brutality, highhandedness and extra judicial killings by the defunct SARS in Anambra state setup by Governor Willie Obiano, alleged that her husband was arrested in their bedroom early morning on August 1, 2017 by the defunct unit of police and she had not set her eyes on him again till date.
She further told Blueprint in an interview that she was still nursing their first child as at time of the incident, adding that the family later learnt that Johnson, who hailed from Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area (LGA) has died under SARS custody.
“I am a widow left behind by Johnson Chidozie Edozieuno, a victim of extra-judicial killings by Awkzu SARS. My husband was arrested in my presence and while we were still in our bedroom early morning on 1/8/2017 because he was a suspect in alleged kidnapping that took place in Aguleri.
“The team of SARS men led by one Inspector Okoi Ikpi told me to go and marry another husband (that was the exact expression they used and I thought it was a joke). The men also took away our household items which I have listed in the affidavit in support of this complaint.
“I pray this honourable panel to order the Nigeria police/SARS to release the corpse of my husband to me; to release my household items taken away from my house when they arrested and took away my husband; to pay me and the other defendants of the late Johnson Chidozie Edozieuno reasonable compensation since they cannot restore his life,” she alleged.
Earlier, Chairman of the panel, Hon. Justice Veronica Ngozi Umeh, promised to get back to the petitioner and her counsel after giving the petition accelerated hearing in line with their terms of reference which among other things included to receive and investigate the complaints of police brutality relating to torture, highhandedness and alleged extra-judicial killings by SARS and Police.
Umeh also explained that four other petitions were taken in the sitting, while others would be considered at their next sitting on Tuesday.
