Francesa Ogbu, the widow of Abuja-based journalist, Alex Ogbu, who was killed by a police officer during a protest in 2020, has accused the Nigeria Police Force of refusing to comply with a court order to pay her family N50 million in compensation.
Ogbu was shot on January 21, 2020, while covering a protest by members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria demanding the release of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
The police initially claimed that he died after falling and hitting his head on a stone.
However, an autopsy revealed that he succumbed to blood loss caused by gunshot injuries.
Following a three-year legal battle, Justice Mohammed Abubakar of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Kurudu, Abuja, ruled on June 21, 2023, that the police were guilty of Ogbu’s death and ordered the payment of N50 million to his family as compensation.
She said despite the court ruling, the police have neither complied with the judgment nor appealed the decision.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Ogbu expressed frustration over the police’s refusal to honour the court’s decision.
“To date, the police have not complied with the court order. They also did not appeal against it, showing sheer scorn and impunity towards the pronouncement of a competent court of the land,” she said.
She revealed that multiple efforts to secure the compensation, including letters to the Police Service Commission, the Ministry of Police Affairs, and the Inspector-General of Police, have been ignored.
According to her, Senator Abba Moro also intervened, writing to the Inspector-General of Police all to no avail.
She said, ‘’Several efforts have been made to make the Police see reason and obey court Judgment, but all have not yielded desired results as the Police authorities have adamantly ignored the court order and deliberately frustrated all attempts to pay the family the judgment Sum awarded it.
“Letters have been written to the Police Service Commission, the Ministry of Police Affairs, the National Assembly and the Inspector General of Police on this issue. Distinguished Senator Abba Morro has also written to the Inspector General of Police to honour the judgment but was also met with a rebuff.
“This Press conference is therefore to bring these to the knowledge of the world, to let the World know that the Police have refused to obey a duly pronounced Court order.”
Efforts to get the FCT police command spokesperson, Josephine Adeh proved abortive.
The Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi when contacted, requested to know the IPO in charge of the case among other details.