Family Accuses FCT SARS Of Raping, Killing Daughter, Petitions IG

• Family Accuses FCT SARS Of Raping, Killing Daughter, Petitions IG

Ekohotblog, September 21, 2020…

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Federal Capital Territory Command, Abuja, has been accused of sexually and physically assaulting one Ifeoma Abugu to death.

The family of the 28-year-old graduate of the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, has issued a legal petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to order a proper investigation into the matter.

Our correspondent confirmed that the incident started on September 10, 2020, when some policemen stormed the house of Ifeoma’s fiancé, Afam Ugwunwa, at Wumba village in the Lokogoma area of Abuja to arrest him

According to the report, when they couldn’t find Afam, the policemen apprehended Ifeoma and took her away.

The family said they made attempts to locate the police station where she was detained, all to no avail until the next morning when a call came in that Ifeoma had died and has been taken to the mortuary.

Ifeoma’s brother, Alex, who spoke on the telephone said Ifeoma had had just concluded her National Youth Service Corps not too long ago.

He added that she was killed four days after she had her introduction with Ugwunwa in Enugu State.

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He said, “I was in Lagos when one of my junior brothers called me that he learnt that SARS arrested our sister and she died in detention. I just came to Abuja today (Sunday) and I have asked some of my uncles, who have been to the police station, and they said that the policemen alleged that they met my sister unconscious on the bed and they carried her to hospital, where she died.

“When I asked my sister’s fiancé what happened, he said he went out and someone called him on the telephone that SARS had arrested my sister and when he came back, he called someone he knew at the SARS office to help in facilitating her release, but the person was unable to do it that night.

“The following morning, he gave the woman money to help facilitate the release, but the woman called back to tell him that Ifeoma was dead. When my uncles saw the picture of her corpse, they saw signs that she was sexually assaulted. We’re waiting for the result of an autopsy to come out to ascertain what happened to her.

“My sister was arrested four days after her introduction in the village and her wedding was slated for December. We want the killers to be brought to justice.”

When Ifeoma’s fiancé was contacted, he said he was too distraught to talk.

The family’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Mamah while addressing the matter said, “She (Ifeoma) had just finished cooking that day, while her fiancé and her friend had finished eating and the friend left, while the fiancé went to see a friend in one of the neighbouring estates, when he received a call from a neighbour that the police had come to arrest his fiancée and she had been taken away and he received another call from Ifeoma that she was been taken away by SARS, but she didn’t know where they were taking her to.

“Ifeoma’s fiancé called a friend of his to help in looking for her and secure her release, but she was not found, only for the fiancé to receive a call the next day that she was dead and her corpse had been lay down in the mortuary.

“The family of the deceased have not seen the corpse; the picture we have is the one the IPO snapped and sent to us when she went to the hospital, where her corpse was deposited; from the picture of the deceased, it appeared she was sexually assaulted before her death.

”Although SARS officers have alleged that they met Ifeoma in an unconscious state, with cocaine on the table.

”They added that they only helped her to hospital, where she was examined and pronounced dead, but they forgot that people witnessed when she was being taken away.

“We want justice to be served; we want the matter to be thoroughly investigated and assigned to good investigating officers, because the IPO that has been handling this matter is not erudite enough; that is why we do not have confidence in them. The officers, who perpetrated this act, must be brought to justice.”

Mamah’s petition to the IG read in part,

“The IPO, Inspector Bullus, and DPO Usman informed us at the police station on September 15, 2020, in explanation that the deceased was met in an unconscious state by the officers. This explanation is contrary to the information from residents and our clients are not confident with the way the matter is being handled at the Apo Police Station.

“The SARS operatives, who did the arrest, are still not yet arrested and are freely walking the streets of Abuja. Our clients are not confident that the division will do justice in the matter, and the deceased body is still lying lifeless at Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital. Sir, we appeal that you use your highly esteemed office to ensure that proper investigation is carried out, that the culprits be brought to book and justice done.”

Our correspondent learned that the matter was first reported at the Apo Police Station and later transferred to the FCT Command.

Speaking on the petition, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Anjuguri Manzah, said he was not aware of the matter.

“I’m not aware of this incident, but give me time to make enquiries. You can also link me up with the family of the victim so that they can come to the command,” he stated.