Contrary to claims by security operatives that a middle-aged man killed by soldiers during the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in Ogoja, Cross River State, Joseph Okpe popularly known as Joe, attempted to disrupt the election in a polling unit in Ogoja, the father of the deceased has told GRASSROOT REPORTERS that his son was allegedly murdered by men of the Nigerian Army.
There were reports that Joe was shot dead by soldiers at a polling unit on the election day while attempting to disrupt voting process.
But the family of the deceased has disputed the clams by security operatives.
Some family and community members of the deceased told our correspondent that Joseph Okpe was killed on Friday night, March 17 at Feel at Home Hotel, Mpam Agabo, Idung Mbube in Ogoja Local Government Area against reports that he was killed on election day, March 18.
Narrating the incident to our correspondent, the father of the deceased, said:
“On Friday, 17 March 2023, Mr. Joseph Okpe left Sideview Hotel, Ikom where he was lodging to Ogoja where he had been preparing and planning to construct a Youth Center and a house since end of February 2023. He travelled to Ogoja primarily for this construction project.
“Upon his arrival that night in Ogoja, he stopped at the Ogoja meeting Center where both APC and PDP faithfuls assembled for last minute support of their preferred candidates.
“He was not a party fanatic and cared more for what would bring development in his area”
“From the Ogoja Meeting center, Mr. Okpe, his siblings and his friends went to a nearby hotel, Feel at Home Hotel, Mpam Agabo Idung Mbube, Ogoja, to rest.
“According to eyewitnesses, the group ordered Indomie and were drinking malt, while waiting for their food. As they sat at the bar gisting, the light went out. Mr. Joe Okpe pleaded with the hotel manager to turn on the generator and that he would even pay for the petrol. So, he followed the manager to the generator area with his touch to assist her. He helped turn on the generator.
Continuing, the senior Okpe said:
“While at the back of the building Joe and the manager heard gunshots and commotion as everyone took off running helter-skelter.
“The soldiers entered hotel and started flogging everyone they got hold of, asking for the owner of the hotel. The owner presented herself and she was slapped for asking the soldiers stop flogging her sick brother. The soldiers drew their guns at her and she said they should just kill her instead of her brother.
“The soldiers were on the phone with some unknown person, taking directives and description of Mr. Joseph Okpe and asking if one of the guests fit that description, to which a staff said yes! They asked if the staff knew who had the vehicle parked outside and the staff said they didn’t know who had the SUV.
“The soldiers pretended to have left the premises with the two Hilux van they came with, but had left some of the soldiers hiding in the hotel premises with guns.
“At about 04:00 am, after the apparent quiet, Joe now attempted to come out of hiding with his torch light in hand. The hiding soldiers immediately started firing at him without warning. Mr. Joseph Okpe dropped as he was shot at, they leveled other shots at closed range at his fallen body on the ground and his last words were, “MY MOMMY MY DADDY” then took his last breath.
“One of the soldiers had a phone in his hand communicating with someone to whom he was giving minute to minute report said, “he is confirmed dead!”
“His dead body was loaded on to one of the Hilux. They searched the lifeless body, removed his car keys and searched his vehicle. They found no weapons in the vehicle. They did found 45,000 Naira cash in his vehicle and nothing else. The soldiers stayed at the hotel premises with his corpse from that faithful hour until morning to make sure no one tries to help or take him to get medical attention.
“Before they left the hotel premises, they re-entered the hotel building questioning staff concerning the assassination that took place at about 4 am.
Mr Okpe further told GRASSROOT REPORTERS that Feel at Home Hotel Ogoja where his son was murdered, was not close to any polling unit as claimed by security operatives.
He said the soldiers drove to the nearest polling center with his son’s corpse and allegedly notified the INEC officials and election staff that they had just shot a man who was attempting to rig the elections.
He said:
“From there, they took his body covered with plastic and leaves to the Ogoja Police Station, and handed Joe’s SUV keys to the police. From the police, the soldiers went to the general hospital mortuary to dump the corpse.”
Mr. Peter Okpe said all effort to get justice for the murder of his son has not yielded any result.
He called on the Nigerian Army to fish out the killers of his son and bring them to book.
Recall that DSP Irene Ugbo, Cross River State Police Public Relations Officer was reported to have confirmed the incident when she featured on a radio programme on Saturday, March 18.
She had said that the soldiers were supposed to stay distance away from polling units, adding that investigations were ongoing.
When GRASSROOT REPORTERS contacted DSP Ugbo on Monday to get an update on the investigation, she said she cannot comment on the incident since it involves the Nigerian Army, directing our correspondent to the army spokesperson in the state, Capt. Dorcas Aluko.
Efforts to get the reaction of Capt. Aluko proved abortive.
See photos from the scene of the incident:
