Following the gruesome murder of Joy Odama, a 200 level student of Cross River State University of Technology (CRUTECH), the state governor commonly referred as ‘digital governor’, Prof Ben Ayade, on Wednesday vowed to pursue to the case till Supreme Court to get justice.
Ayade, who was represented by the director-general, Cross River State Due Process and Price Intelligence Bureau, Barr Alphonsus Ogar Eba, spoke in Abuja at a world press conference said he has instructed the state attorney general to liais with the office of the attorney general of the federation to commence action.
He said that the result of the corona autopsy conducted at the National Hospital Abuja revealed cause of death as acute cocaine poison.
“I have given immediate instruction to the Attorney general of the state to promptly commence action with office of the attorney general of the federation and ensure the prosecution of this case,” he said.
The governor, however, expressed dismay as the alleged killer was walking freely with police company.
He said that it was on that note he will write a letter to the presidency to also look in the matter, no matter how slow the will of justice is going to be, whether he is in office or not.
He added that the state government will take this case for prosecution and execution of the culprit.
The state government has fixed September 27-28, for a befitting burial for the repose of the late Joy Odama. The Governor has also approved the release of N10 million to that effect.
Tears flows freely yesterday as Cross River state government lend his voice on the mysterious circumstance that led to the death of 20 years old, 200 level undergraduate student from Cross River state, Joy Odama, that was allegedly killed by one Alh.Usman Adamu of Karmo on December 21, 2016 in Abuja.
This is even as the father of the deceased Mr John Odama lauded the efforts of the media in their balanced reportage of the circumstances that led to the death of his daughter.
Narrating his ordeal with the alleged murderer of his daughter, Alh. Adamu and the Nigeria Police during a world press conference organized by Cross River state government, the father of the bereaved Mr. Odama alleged that after the gruesome murder of his daughter he was given N400, 000 by AIG Intelligence Umaru Usman Shehu in connivance with ASP Micheal Obiora, Inpector Silas Isah and Inspector Nkechi of Karmo police division to mute the case.
He expressed disappointment that the police attributed the cause of death of their daughter to generator fume, and did not follow due process while conducting an autopsy before the result was released.
Odama said the family and Yala community in Abuja rejected the report, because upon re-examination, a police pathologist initially alleged that the probable cause of the death was as a result of generator fumes without taking due cognisance of the chemical.
”The police dissatisfied with the result, went ahead and conducted another autopsy, and addressed the press that the deceased died of carbon monoxide inhalation.
‘’Base on the conflicting reports, the family has insisted on toxicology, but challenged financially to fund this advanced autopsy, which that was the reason there wasn’t further progress on the matter,’’ he said.
He, however, called on the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris to call the above officers for questioning.
“The media, None Governmental Organisations, NGOs, law firms, that took it as a personal duty to alert the world and particularly Yala community in Abuja and the world over rose to the occasion and brought this to global attention.
“The gruesome and dastardly murder of Miss Joy Odama an indigene of Yala local government area of Cross River State is one lost which pain is not just felt by Cross Riverians alone but Nigerians and the world over. We as a state followed with keen interest the dimension and the conundrum which has been brought into this by the activities of the Nigerian Police.
“We as a state waited allowing the rule of law drive its process through the Police but this don’t mean that we are not conscious of the provisions of the law on the issue of prosecution and it is on that note today as a responsive and responsible government that we are alerting the world at large from the hills of Obanliku to the creeks of Bakassi that every indigene of Cross River State means more than a billion dollars to us and the life of any if taken in any circumstances the Governor of Cross River State shall stand tall to ensure that justice is done.
“Today, we call on the world that as a government His Excellency has given immediate instruction to the Attorney General of Cross River State to commence action with the Office of The Attorney General of the Federation, the Law Firm of Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, is also on stand-by to get a fiat of the Attorney General should any attempt by the Attorney General fails.
“We want to place on record that this is one death that would bring to global attention the very wicked, callous and unconscionable attitude of Nigerian Police. We call on the Inspector General of Police, and the Governor himself has directed that he will do a personal letter to President Muhammadu Buhari on this issue because the name of one Assistant Inspector General of the Nigerian Police has been indicted and officers and men of the Karmo Police Station have all been mentioned in connection with this.
“The Alhaji Usman Adamu who has been walking as a free man we call on the Nigerian Police to immediately arrest him within 24 hours and we call on all Nigerians as a matter of fact team up and take up this matter as way of solidarity.
Any injustice to a life of a human being is injustice to all and as we seek for the quest for justice the Governor has directed that we allow Joy Odama to rest in peace. In the light of that Joy Odama’s corpse will be conveyed to Yala Local Government on Tues and will be interred on Wednesday.
“That we want to bury Joy Odama does not mean we want to bury this matter. The Governor has declared that no matter how slow the wheel of justice is going to be whether he leaves government in the next four or eight years Cross Riverians and the world at large should know that Cross River State Government will take this matter as one that prosecution and completion of this matter at the Supreme Court will be followed religiously and sanctimoniously.
“In addition to the brief paid to the legal firm of Kanu Agabi and the State Attorney General has also released another sum of N10 million to give a befitting burial to Joy Odama and to also ensure that that the siblings of Joy Odama is properly catered for.
“All arrangements have been worked to ensure that the parents of the deceased are going to be taken care of by the Ministry of Social Welfare in Cross River State, and this is a message to all Cross Riverians that wherever you live please live freely, know that you have a government that cares for you.
“And the State Government has also taken a decision to open a special page, where all Cross Riverians living everywhere would have the data base of all Cross Riverians. Please work with the State’s Ministries of Social Welfare, Women Affairs, and Youth Development.”
