The father described his son as a true gentleman and said as far as he knows, his son has committed no crime that would justify his killing by police in front of his family.
A grieving Mr Joseph Onminyi is seeking justice for his 19-year-old son who was allegedly shot dead by men of Operation Zenda Command of the Benue State Police Command.
According to Onminyi, his son was killed in front of his family while having dinner at their home in the Welfare Area of Makurdi on May 19, 2024, at about 8pm.
The police officer, speaking to journalists in Makurdi on Wednesday, November 6, alleged that some policemen entered his home, shot dead his son and took away his body.
Onminyi demanded the immediate release of his son’s body for a solemn burial in accordance with traditional Idoma rites and customs. The father described his son as a true gentleman and said that to his knowledge, his son had not committed any crime that would have justified his death by police in front of his family.
“I am Mr. Joseph Omminee, the father of the late Peter Omminee, who was shot and killed by police on May 19, 2024, not outdoors, but in his own home,” he said.
“The police did not reveal the reason for their actions. They did not ask or tell anyone about the crime he committed. Rather, they simply killed him while he was eating in the dining room.
“The police did not approach me, the father, nor did they ask my children, who were in the room with me, what crime my son committed. They just jumped the fence, entered the house and started shooting sporadically. They shot one of my sons while he was eating at the dinner table.
“Not only that, after they killed him, they took his body and took away all the household goods, including the radio, refrigerator, washing machine, gas stove, gas cylinders, as well as two motorcycles and everything else in the house.
“I think this action could be considered as armed robbery because they came unannounced and no one was informed why they were there. They didn’t say anything about whether they came to look for something or to check on someone. They just shot my innocent child.
“After killing him, the police took his body to an unknown location. Till this very moment, I don’t know where my son’s body is. Not only that, the police have also locked my house. ”
“They locked the main gate of my house. Since the incident in May, my house has been locked and I no longer have the key.
“My family and I have been sleeping in an unfinished structure outside my house. Therefore, I appeal to Nigeria and the whole world to come to my aid and condemn the police brutality against our innocent citizens,” Onminyi added.
He said they had filed a case against the police for human rights violations, but the father of the deceased accused the police in court of delaying the case.
“Their refusal to appear means the police believe they are above the law and can ignore legal process,” he said.
State Command Spokesperson SP Catherine Ane told Punch that the case involved suspects in kidnapping and armed robbery.
“I am aware of a case involving a boy suspected of kidnapping, police went to the scene to arrest him and in the process, I believe one of the boys had a shootout with the police, killing him,” the PPRO said. “I don’t know his name but we will get back to you. This happened near the social area of Makurdi district.”