What Is The Worth Of The Nigerian Life? (II) -By Sesugh Akume

It’s been 2 months since Ochigbo Ogar Jumbo, a 42-year-old civil defence officer was beaten to death in Abuja by 2 police officers before his wife and 2 sons, ostensibly for driving against the traffic during a morning rush hour on 20 March.
What has come out of it? The police spokesman Frank Mba lied that he wasn’t killed by the police but by traffic wardens, and other lies he told on the police’s behalf. The deceased’s widow, 36-year-old Ada Jumbo wouldn’t take that. She had videographic and other evidence to support her assertions of what she was a witness to. The autopsy results also made bare the lies the police was telling.

What did the police do further to this? They claimed the 2 police officers were detained at the SARS facility. SARS is Special Anti-Robbery Squad. What robbery has to do with this only the police can tell.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) commandant for the FCT, Solomon Iyamu said the murder was ‘an act of God’, and should be seen so. Last week the police FCT command transferred the divisional police officer (DPO) for Nyanya Police Division, Igbekele Ogungbemi, who was an accessory to the murder, out of Abuja.

An officer of the law in uniform was murdered, beaten to death in broad daylight by other officers of the law before his wife and 2 young children. The youngest was turning 3 in 2 or so days, his birthday had already been organised, as they all were looking forward to it. 

The message here is very simple. Dear Nigerian, your life is completely worthless. It has no dignity or sanctity. If you’re killed or die, it really doesn’t matter. Lies will be told. The case will be covered up. The offenders will be shielded. Religion will be used to mollify and confuse everyone interested. If preachers don’t do it, law enforcement will help out. Life goes on.

You don’t matter, your fingerprint during electioneering does. For now the electoral season is over, the politicians are busy organising towards 2023, even as Buhari’s second disastrous term is yet to begin.

Deal with this fact.