Metro
12 years after, 2 police officers get death sentence over killing of ‘Apo six’
Two police officers, Messrs Ezekiel Acheneje and Baba Emmanuel, were on Thursday sentenced to death by a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court for the extra-judicial killing of six Igbo traders.
The incident which became known as ‘Apo Six’ happened on the night of June 7, 2005, when the five people Ekene Isaac Mgbe, Ifeanyin Ozor, Chinedu Meniru, Paulinus Ogbonna, Anthony Nwokike and Augustina Arebu, were allegedly shot dead by the policemen.
The police had claimed after the killings that the victims were armed robbers who first opened fire at them.
Their claim was deflected by a judicial panel of inquiry set up by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, which said the police lied.
It was also alleged that Acheneje and Emmanuel executed the Igbo traders on the orders of a senior officer, Danjuma Ibrahim.
Following the panel findings, Nigerian government then apologised on behalf of the police for their killings and paid $20,300 (£13,800) compensation to each of the families.
It also recommended that the police officers should be arrested and prosecuted for criminal trial.
Read also: How assassins invaded my house – Metuh
Six police officers were later charged to court in 2015 for the killings by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
The police officers standing trial in the case were Danjuma Ibrahim, Othman Abdulsalami, Nicholas Zakaria, Ezekiel Acheneje, Baba Emmanuel and Sadiq Salami.
Many had started to wonder if justice will ever come the way of the victims.
However, 12 years after, Justice Ishaq Bello found the two police officers guilty and pronounced a death sentence on them.
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yanju omotodun
March 9, 2017 at 1:27 pm
I never believed this case will later saw the light of the day after twelve years delayed. It is of no use sentencing the police officers to death as justice delayed is justice denied.
Balarabe musa
March 9, 2017 at 9:52 pm
It is of use. No one should be above the law. At least, this will serve notice to other police who are like them
JOHNSON PETER
March 9, 2017 at 4:35 pm
Buhari has sanitised the judiciary and things are now fallen in place. At least this will serve as lesson to other callous police officers who think they can use their power to do and undo.
Margret Dickson
March 9, 2017 at 8:12 pm
This is because the judiciary decided to carry out their duties. 12 years is enough for the case to be thrown inside trash can.
Joy Madu
March 10, 2017 at 5:43 am
When God remember you power will less that is what happen to the police men it is time to face the punishment they deserve
Animashaun Ayodeji
March 9, 2017 at 8:10 pm
This is good news, no criminal will go unpunished, this is how a country is expected to be.