The people of Okujagu Community in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of Rivers State have demanded the release of the corpse of one Faithful Daniel, who was arrested and later murdered, during an invasion SARS Operatives on 25th, 26th May, 2016.
Chairman of Okujagu Community, Dabo-Opuye Owuboigbari, who testified on behalf of the community before the State Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Police Brutality, said SARS Officers attacked the community at midnight of 25th, operated till the next day 26th May with heavy gun fire that led to the death of ThankGod Dickson and faithful Daniel while several others were wounded and so many houses destroyed.
According to him, the late Faithful Daniel was among the women arrested by SARS during the Invasion, but died in SARS custody few days after her arrest and her corpse is yet to be released to the family for burial. The community is also demanding for an open apology to the community by the Nigerian Police for the invasion and wanton destruction, and the sum of two hundred and forty million naira to be paid as compensation for the deceased families and the community.
“The shooting and breaking of doors started midnight and lasted till early hours in the morning at about 5 to 6 am. That was when the first team left, after one hour, the second team came into the community with same heavy gun fire. The late ThankGod Dickson in question was in his building directly opposite the waterside, everybody had ran away, but he couldn’t run because of his condition, he did a hynia operation barely one week before the SARS attack.
“He was at the balcony of the two storey building of his house when the SARS Officers met him, they ordered he to come down, but he told them that he is not feeling well, he can’t work, the SARS Operatives climbed up the building, broke the door and threw him down from the building and that caused his death.
“It was the second team that came in and that started dealing with the women. Some women were arrested and detained alongside the late Faithful Daniel who did not come back alive from detention, her father died too of trauma knowing she was no more, her little daughter is left in the hands of her grandmother suffering.
“We are demanding that her corpse be release for burial, the building destroyed are still lying there, so we demand one hundred million naira compensation for ThankGod Dickson family, same one hundred million for the brutal killing of Faithful Daniel, twenty million for destruction of the community properties, twenty million naira for the education right of late Faithful Daniels daughter”
