By Emma Amaize
WARRI – A DELTA State High Court sitting at Otor-Udu, has ordered the Nigeria Police to pay N20 million damage for the wrongful killing of Gideon Ovikpokpo, who was shot dead by mobile policemen at a police checkpoint in Delta State, two days to his wedding in September 2008 on the pretext that he was an armed robber.
Trial judge, Justice F. Azinge, in her judgment in the case brought by Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, FJHD, on behalf of the Ovikpokpo family, said: "I hereby award a sum of N20 million to the claimants to be paid by the defendants jointly and severally, being damages suffered by the claimants as a result of the wrongful, unlawful and gruesome murder of late Engr. Gideon Ovikpokpo by the defendants and/or mobile policemen under their control, supervision and employment on September 8, 2008, at 7pm, at a police check point by Sedco Junction, Kolokolo Area of Delta State."
The plaintiff was represented by Pa Bluff Ovikpokpo, while the defendants were the Commander of the Quick Response Squad, Ogunu and four others.
The court said: "The unlawful and gruesome murder of late Engr. Ovikpokpo by the defendants and/or mobile policemen under their control, supervision and employment on September 8, 2008 at 7pm at a police check point by Sedco Junction, Kolokolo Area on the pretext that he was an armed robber is a wrongful act and ultra vires the powers of the defendants.
"An order is hereby made directing the defendants to tender an unreserved apology to the claimants and the Ovikpokpo family resident at Ekete Inland Ekete, Delta State in the Vanguard Newspapers, absolving the late Engr Ovikpokpo of being an armed robber."
Vanguard Nigeria