Family Seek Justice for Slain Rivers State Mechanic, Accuses Police of Murder

The family of a slain mo­tor mechanic, Chukwudi Okereke who was allegedly killed in police custody has accused the Octopus Strike Force unit of the police of foul play, seeking justice.

The 34 year-old father of three children, before his untimely death, operated a small mechanic shop at the Ikokwu spare parts market in Port Harcourt, where he was arrested on January 11, 2024.

Our correspondent learnt that the victim’s six months old third child recently un­derwent a successful post­natal complication surgery, while the eight year-old first child and four-year-old sec­ond are still grappling with the fact that their father’s life had been cut short.

­abouts of his son proved abortive as the police chased him away from the station, claiming that his son was not in their custody.

The tearful 77-year-old man explained that he only recently learnt of his son’s death after searching for him in the last three months.

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The septuagenarian said, “On January 11,2024, I was in Chioba where I was told that my son Chukwudi Okereke was arrested. I thought it was a normal police arrest, I never knew that something was behind it. My son is a mechanic who buys and sells engines.

“When I asked where they took my son, I was told that he was taken to Octopus sta­tion. After three days, I went to the station to see my son, but the police chased me away that he was not there, so I started walking around, moving from one station to another with my younger sons and Chukwudi’s wife.

“Three days later, the po­lice brought Chukwudi to his shop and searched, but they didn’t see anything incriminating so they took him away again. After they took my son back to the sta­tion, I went to the station, but they denied me entrance, they didn’t allow me to enter the station.”

Mr. Okechukwu Okereke alleged that a superinten­dent of Police attached to the Octopus Strike Force unit whom his son had an al­tercation with in the course of fixing a car for him, killed his son in police custody.

The distraught father called on the Inspector General of Police, the Gov­ernor of the state and other well-meaning Nigerians to help him get justice.