By TINA TIMOTHY

Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) Nigeria has condemned the killing of the suspect, Mr. Andrew Ochekwo (Ochekpo), in the disappearance of two ladies, Ms. Celine Ndudim and her friend, Ms. Afiba Tandoh, a Ghanaian in April, 2024.

While insisting on justice on the alleged disappearance of the two ladies as well as the subsequent killing of the suspect, FENRAD, in a statement on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, described the killing as not only unprofessional but also tactless, adding that "only a closure can settle this matter."

The statement reads: "Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development, FENRAD, a human and environmental rights advocacy group based in Abia State, had been following keenly the alleged disappearance (or murder or both) of two ladies - Ms. Celine Ndudim and her friend, Ms. Afiba Tandoh, a Ghanaian - when they visited their host, Mr. Andrew Ochekwo (Ochekpo) sometime in April of this year, 2024.

"The incident which took place in Aba, the Abia State commercial emporium, has continued to draw harsh global criticisms from rights groups while also attracting the attention of justice campaigners, thereby placing both diplomatic and moral burden on Nigeria as a country and her police as an institution of law enforcement.

"Also, the incident also exposes what many consider to be unprofessional conduct on the part of the Nigeria Police Force, especially given the tactless manner in which the matter was handled from the get-go."

FENRAD further described as worrisome the alleged lack of interest exhibited by the police when they received the report about the missing ladies and the subsequent collection of the sum of N100,000 from one of the victim's sisters, Tessy to track the missing ladies' whereabout, after which the police did not swing into action until a directive to arrest Andrew came from Zone 9, Umuahia.

The statement continues: "The two ladies, Celine Ndudim and her friend Afiba Tandoh, were guests of Mr. Andrew Ochekpo, who lodged them at a popular hotel in Aba, where they were last seen as of yet. Sadly, Celine Ndudim's sister, Tessy Ndudim, in an interview claimed her missing sister reached out to her alleging that their host had kidnapped them. What is more worrisome is the lack of interest allegedly exhibited by the police when the report came to them about the missing ladies. According to Afiba's husband and Tessy Ndudim's account, the police did not act timely. Also, according to a family source, the police collected over ₦100,000 from Tessy to track Celine and Afiba's whereabouts since their location was made known through a google app and ended up with no fruitful result.

"Rather than decisively swing into action and bust the home of Andrew, who is alleged to be working for a criminal syndicate, the police delayed, until an order came from Umuahia (Zone 9) to arrest Andrew, an alleged serial killer then on the loose. Before then, Andrew, sources claimed, worked in cahoots with one Mr. David Okorochahe, a one-time suspect who together with Andrew was once declared wanted in the United Kingdom for alleged sexual assault."

The rights group further faulted the police in allowing the suspect to live large while "carousing in the company of men of the Force", spending nights at hotels while being taken to Abuja, despite evidences pointing to his being involved in human trafficking and/or organ harvesting and allegations of unauthorised cash withdrawal of millions of naira from his bank account while still in police custody.

Continuing, the statement reads: "Andrew returned to Aba and began a seemingly reclusive life, yet in a somewhat secret opulence. A search conducted within the coordinates of his Ogbor Hill residence in Aba provided a lead that Andrew might have been involved in human trafficking and/or organ harvesting, as decapitated decomposing remains of a lady (not identified as Celine or Afiba) was allegedly found there.

"It is quite sad that instead of swiftly working with intelligence given to them, the police conducted themselves in a rather unprofessional manner by allegedly failing to either arrest or invite Andrew initially, even when his whereabouts were known after the car in which he drove the two ladies was sighted in the same compound he was much later arrested in. Questions should be asked on why Andrew would waste days, including allegedly lodging in hotels, while being moved to Abuja for further investigation in police custody. Sources have it that while en route from Abia State to Abuja, Andrew was living large, including carousing in the company of men of the Force, and allegedly stopped over at Akwa Ibom and later Benue State. A suspect, one would wonder.

"When pressure – including from the Ghanaian Consulate, Nigerian crime blogs, news outlets, and various social media platforms – began mounting and growing, the Police came up with a startling revelation that Andrew had been killed at the Benue-Kogi axis while trying to escape from police custody. Allegations of unauthorised cash withdrawal – in tunes of millions of naira – from Andrew's bank account had been levelled too, further leaving the police, in whose custody Andrew was last seen, with huge questions. How did the dog eat the bone hung round its neck?"

FENRAD, therefore, called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, to leave no stone unturned in fishing out the culprits in the disappearance of Celine and Afiba; uncovering how Andrew was killed, and by whom; finding the two ladies or their remains; extending the ongoing investigation to all networks, affiliations and connections to the late Andrew; ensuring his body passes through autopsy, forensic examination and a coroner's inquest carried out to reveal the truth.

FENRAD continues: "In light of this development, FENRAD calls on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, who has ordered an official investigation and findings in two weeks, to leave no stone unturned in apprehending all those who might have played one role or the other in the disappearance of Celine and Afiba, including uncovering how Andrew was killed, and by whom.

The question is: where are Afiba and Celine or their remains? It is on this note that FENRAD condemns strongly the unprofessional conduct of the contingent that went to arrest Andrew. Killing Andrew does not kill evidence, neither will it bury facts. Instead, more facts and clues are beginning to gather like an ominous cloud. This is portentous, and the police should follow the lead.

"Did the police kill Andrew, who by the way was not a combatant, for trying to escape from custody or did they 'kill' evidence? There's a cover-up here, the Foundation insists. Those who killed Andrew must be brought to book. One, Andrew was only a suspect at the time of his killing, as nothing had been established that indicated he was a criminal by any court of the land or an empanelled independent body (though there may be prima facie evidence that he was working for a criminal syndicate). Two, Andrew would have helped the police with investigation into what would have possibly uncovered the criminal syndicate, who knows?

"FENRAD calls on the IG to also extend the ongoing investigation to all networks, affiliations and connections the late Andrew had, including overseas. If need be, the Interpol should be involved as Andrew who had lived in the UK and visited other countries could be an agent of an international criminal syndicate. Questions must be asked too about the person of David Okorochahe, Andrew's alleged partner in crime in the UK. Do they still have any connection, including monetary transactions, and if any, for what purpose?

"Andrew's body must pass through autopsy to enable the IG team to come up with facts about how he was shot. A forensic examination or analysis of gunshot wound trajectories with regard to the body position of Andrew when the shooting occurred is necessary in order to establish whether the killing was premeditated or not; this process, though demanding, will require the services of a forensic pathologist to carry out all needed assessments like, studying gunshot entry and exit wounds. A coroner's inquest is also essential if the truth is to be found."

The group, while requesting for a public naming of anyone found culpable in the disappearance of the two ladies, even if they are not Nigerians, further urged the police to investigate the killing of the suspect, describing it as "an attempt to kill and bury evidence and justice."

"Lastly, all those found guilty, by whatever means, in Nigeria and beyond, in the disappearance of the two ladies must be publicly named and tried, and where they are not Nigerians necessary lawful measures should be taken. The killing of Andrew is unprofessional and stands condemnable in its entirety. To investigate this, the police must.

"FENRAD calls on the IG to ensure that justice and closure are attained on this matter, as the killing of Andrew, on the surface, looks like an attempt to kill and bury evidence and justice," FENRAD added.