The family of Ifeanyichukwu Okereke, a newspaper vendor shot dead on Thursday by a security aide to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbaj
In the letter titled, ‘Re: Gruesome public murder of Ifeanyichukwu Okereke (deceased) by the security guard of Hon Femi Gbajabiamila (Speaker of the House of Representatives) on 19/11/2020’, the family demanded the arrest of the security operative within 48 hours.
The lawyer, who stated that he was acting on behalf of Destiny Chukwu-Okere, a younger brother of the deceased, and the entire Chukwu-Okereke family, added that Ifeanyichukwu who was shot dead on Thursday was to celebrate his new baby’s naming ceremony on Friday.
It was learnt that the shooting incident happened when Ifeanyichukwu and other street vendors selling newspapers on the Shehu Shagari Way, Three Arms Zone, flocked around the convoy of the Speaker, who was said to be in the habit of giving out money anytime he passed them.
The Department of State Services had on Friday declared that the security guard was one of its operatives and had been detained by the Service for questioning.
Gbajabiamila has issued a statement expressing regrets over the tragedy and announcing the suspension of the officer involved. He said he was not aware of the incident until much later, adding that he was gutted by the killing.
But the family of the deceased disputed Gbajabiamila’s account of the incident.
Demanding the arrest of the security guard, the letter stated, “We seek your immediate, urgent and decisive intervention in this case as we bring justice not only for the Ifeanyichukwu Okereke; husband, father, brother and son but also for the state (Nigeria). We, therefore, demand that if within the next 48 working hours, the culprit security guard attached to the Speaker of the House Representatives is not brought to book; we shall explore all possible legal remedies available to our client in order to bring justice to the deceased and his family,” the letter stated.
