Mother of 22-year-old man killed by police trying to preach to Cross River governor rejects ₦5 million

Mother of 22-year-old man killed by police trying to preach to Cross River governor rejects ₦5 million

 

The mother of a 22-year-old man allegedly killed by police officers attached to the residence of Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has rejected ₦5 million reportedly offered to her family by government representatives.

 

Mrs. Victoria Mba, whose son, Moses Mba, was shot on August 1 in Calabar while allegedly attempting to preach to the governor, said no amount of money could replace her son’s life or silence her demand for justice.

 

“They brought ₦5m. We rejected it. Is the value of my son’s life ₦5m? They said it was a condolence visit, but I don’t know where condolence is done with money in that way. I want justice, not money,” she told Sunday PUNCH.

 

According to her, Moses, the first son of the family, was beaten and shot in the leg by security personnel after approaching the governor’s gate, where he reportedly said he wanted to preach. He later died in hospital after spending eight days under heavy guard from plainclothes operatives.

 

“Instead of sending him away or calling his parents, they beat him and shot him. That’s how they ended my son’s life,” she lamented, insisting that the family was pushing for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

The bereaved mother also called for the arrest and prosecution of the security men involved. “They think they can silence me with money. My son was my first child, my pride. They have taken him away and tried to cover it up. I will not be silenced,” she said.

 

Government’s Position

Reacting, Governor Otu’s Chief Press Secretary, Linus Obogo, said the ₦5m was not a bribe but a gesture of sympathy to assist with burial arrangements. He added that the governor had condemned the incident and ordered a police investigation.

 

“The governor directed the Commissioner of Police to investigate the matter. As far as we know, the police officer involved is being held. This is a purely police matter, and they are handling it,” Obogo explained.

 

The Cross River State Police Command confirmed that the case was under investigation. Police spokesperson, Igri Ewa, said the officer involved was already facing disciplinary action, adding that the outcome would be made public.

 

Activists React

The killing has sparked outrage among rights activists. The President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Debo Adeniran, described the incident as a violation of the constitutional right to life.

 

“Nobody has the right to take another person’s life without judicial pronouncement. The policeman responsible must be brought to book and given deterrent punishment,” he said.

 

Similarly, the South-South Zonal Director of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, John Umeh, condemned the killing as “reprehensible,” stressing that the government must first ensure the young man is given a befitting burial.

 

“The life of a young preacher about to enter university cannot be equated with money,” he added, urging the family to insist on an independent autopsy involving a teaching hospital pathologist.

 

For Mrs. Mba, however, the demand is simple: “I want justice for Moses.”