Obinna Ogbonnaya Abakaliki
A Renowned Pastor of a Pentecostal church based in Ebonyi State, Pastor Ugbala Solomon alledged that Police officers attached with the defunct Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) on 6th June 2020 allegedly shot and killed two members of his church while others would have been victims fled.
The Pastor alleged that officials of the defunct SARS invaded his church at Ezza Egu Community in Ezza North local government area of Ebonyi state when they were preparing for a program at the area.
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Pastor Ugbala made the disclosure at the Cabinet office government house Abakaliki while testifying before Justice Alloy Nwankwo led judicial panel of enquiry set up by the State Government to investigate police brutality and other extra judicial killings by security operatives in the State.
Pastor Ugballa said that one Monday Oshim and Emeka Nwalobu Eze were extra judicially killed by the SARS operatives who were working on an information of alledged kidnapping said to have been carried out by a suspect, one Nonso who pointed accusing finger on the 2 victims.
He said; “On Saturday, 6th day of June 2020, I was in our church organizing a place where people that will come for our programme will stay, when four Jeeps conveying police men came behind and stopped”.
“A boy called Nonso came out with handcuff and pointed at my youth leader called Monday Oshim and Emeka Nwalobu Eze. The police threatened to kill them if they should try to run”.
Because of the fear of being killed, the duo while trying to run were subsequently gunned down by the operatives while their corpses and motorcycle were taken to Abakaliki” he explained.
He expressed the shock that to his greatest surprised, the following day, police alleged that the two church members were kidnappers and were killed during an exchanged of gun fire with the police.
The clergy noted that they have written to Department of AK and SARS and equally brought the same complaint to the Judicial Panel to ensure that Justice is secured for their brothers.
In his reaction, the police defendants, Mr. Ceaser S.U and A .C Ndubuaku after a cross examination, described the Pastor as a false witness adding that he has little or no knowledge about the incident but was bought over to come and give false witness against the police.
They added that the notice was not served on them on time but however appealed to the Panel Chairman to give them time to study the matter before appearing before the panel.
Responding, the Chairman of the Panel, Justice Alloy Nwankwo (Rtd) granted their prayers saying that the order would ensure fair hearing and justice to all parties involved and adjourned their sitting to 23rd and 26th of November, 2020.
He adviced them to study the matter very well stressing that all due process must be followed and solicited for their maximum cooperation in order to be fair to all the parties involved in the matter.
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