The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has alleged that the Police high command is in the process of sweeping under the carpet, the alleged killing of the 19 year old female student of Cross Rivers State University, Miss Joy Odama by one Alhaji Usman I. Adamu in Abuja.

Besides, the rights group has condemned the lack of action by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Alhaji Ibrahim Kpotum Idris on the well-coordinated attack by gunmen of the saint Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu, Anambra State on Sunday, August 13, 2017.

HURIWA said the Anambra State Police Command and the office of the IGP seem to be conniving to maintain conspiratorial silence on the massacre as they have failed to embark on any comprehensive investigation into that blood cuddling attack of worshippers in Ozubulu.

In a statement made available to the media and endorsed jointly by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, the Rights group condemned the rapid deterioration of professionalism in the Nigeria Police Force under the current dispensation which has led to the piling up of several unresolved crimes that happened in different parts of the country.

HURIWA lamented that many months after the office of the IGP told the public about the arrest of the suspected murderer of the 19 year old female student of Cross Rivers State University, Miss Joy Odama who died in the premises of the said Alhaji Usman Adamu, the Police has systematically embarked on a plot to scuttle the thorough professional investigation and prosecution of the alleged murderer apparently because the suspect allegedly has extensive reach within Police hierarchy.

HURIWA affirmed that the last time the group reached out to the Police high command in Abuja about two months ago, the group was informed that the IGP has sent the file of Adamu the suspected murderer of Miss Odama to the Director of Public Prosecution for action.

“We are shocked that the office of the Federal Attorney General has refused to take action to bring the alleged murderer to speedy trial before a competent court of law. Does the office of the Attorney General of the Federation require eternity to prosecute a suspect allegedly linked to the gruesome murder of a young female student or is it because she isn't a daughter of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress?”

HURIWA recalled that the Nigeria Police had announced on June 28th 2017 that it has arrested Alhaji Usman Adamu, for alleged murder of one Joy Odoma, a 200-level Mass Communication student of the Cross Rivers State University.

HURIWA also recalled that the deceased’s mother, Mrs. Philomena Odama, had petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, over the murder of her first daughter, Joy.

In the petition, Mrs. Odama, alleged that “Joy was murdered by one Alhaji Usman Adamu, who had offered to give her job at the NSCDC.”

HURIWA recalled that consequent upon the petition, the IGP purportedly declared Alhaji Adamu wanted and ordered immediate investigation over the incident but the Rights group believes the hierarchy of the Police may be shielding the alleged murderer because of his extensive reach within the top echelons of the security circles.

HURIWA accused the police of engaging in a well crafted hide-and-seek game on this matter just as it expressed consternation that the office of the Senate President has also failed to properly activate mechanisms to investigate the allegations that the Police was indeed undermining the forensic investigation of the gruesome killing of Miss Odama.

HURIWA recalled that the Police had initially stated that: “the principal suspect Alh. Usman I. Adamu is the owner of Flat 3, Ibro Quarters Karimo Abuja, where Joy Odama was found dead in the morning of 21/12/2016.”

HURIWA, however, believes that the deliberate slow approach to the matter shows that there is a plot to scuttle the prosecution of the alleged murderer.

HURIWA recalled that to ascertain the actual cause of death of Miss Odama, an autopsy examination carried out by a Pathologist Dr. Jibrin Paul with National Hospital, Abuja was released to the Police on the 10th May, 2017 which revealed that Miss Odama died of cocaine poisoning occasioned by Cardiogenic shock secondary to diffusion. But ironically, the Police ordered for a second autopsy which came up with a contradictory finding.

On the attack by unknown gunmen on Sunday August 6 which killed scores of worshippers at Ozubulu church in Anambra State, the Rights group expressed shock that the police have yet to make any constructive arrest even when the Commissioner of Police was quoted as stating that he has intelligence on the circumstances surrounding the sophisticated crime of mass murder.

HURIWA said it was compiling records of all the unresolved crimes in the last five years to forward the reports to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands for necessary investigative and prosecutorial actions since the Nigerian crime investigation system seems compromised.

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