The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) panel investigating alleged violations of citizens’ rights by the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other units of the Nigeria Police Force has ordered the release of the body of Ms Ifeoma Abugu who died in police custody.
Panel chairman, Justice Sulaiman Galadima (retd), gave the order after counsel to the complainant, Ifeanyi Mamah, applied for the release of her body to members of her family.
She was allegedly murdered in Abuja by operatives of the disbanded SARS of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command on Tuesday, September 1, 2020.
In his testimony on the circumstances of her death, her fiancé, Afamuefuna Ugwunwa, had alleged that police came for him but he wasn’t at home and she was arrested and taken away from his apartment at Wumba, Lokogoma district of Abuja by three SARS operatives.
Upon her death in police custody, he told the panel: “They claimed she was on drugs and died as a result of overdose. The police alleged that they met her unconscious. They are lying. She does not take alcohol not to talk of drugs”.
He said the autopsy carried out on the remains of the late Abugu, at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja, did not reveal drug overdose.
Also testifying, Chief Pathologist of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, Dr Ahmed Abimiku, who conducted the autopsy, said the police alleged that she died of cocaine overdose, but he discovered otherwise.
“I conducted a urine test to ascertain the truth. It was negative. We also conducted a vaginal swab and discovered that she was s3xually assaulted. Her possible cause of death is lack of oxygen”
When asked by counsel to the respondents, James Idachaba, what the autopsy was meant for, he replied: ”it is used to establish the cause of death”.
Hearing has been adjourned till March 23 in the matter which has the Inspector General of Police, FCT Commissioner of Police, OC SARS, FCT police command, DSP Melai Isaac and Sergeant Ezekiel Agbede, as respondents.
