Ogbu, a journalist, trade unionist and human rights activist was felled by a police bullet on January 21, 2020, at Berger Roundabout, Wuse, Abuja. The incident occurred during a brutal police crackdown on protesters calling for the release of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the leader of a Shi’ite group, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.
Three years after the murder of Comrade Alex Ogbu by the Nigeria Police, a Nigerian court has ordered the payment of N50 million to the family of the slain journalist.
Ogbu, a journalist, trade unionist and human rights activist was felled by a police bullet on January 21, 2020, at Berger Roundabout, Wuse, Abuja. The incident occurred during a brutal police crackdown on protesters calling for the release of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the leader of a Shi’ite group, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.
Ogbu was doing his job as a journalist, reporting on the demonstration when he was gunned down.
Initially, the police claimed he died because he fell and hit his head, but it was later revealed that he was shot in the head by a senior police officer.
The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was blood loss resulting from gunshot injuries. But the police authorities had refused to carry out the coroner's inquest in an attempt to cover for the police officer who killed Agbo.
But Justice for Alex, a group of activists seeking justice for the slain journalist, with the support of Femi Falana (SAN), a lawyer and human rights activist, sued the police and the Nigerian government over the issue.
Unfortunately, the case suffered a series of adjournments and it took the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) almost a year to file the defence of the respondents.
Three judges have sat on the matter and there were over 10 long adjournments before Wednesday’s ruling.
A statement issued by the Co-Coordinators of Justice for Alex, Comrade Gerald Katchy and Dimeji Macaulay on Wednesday announced that the Federal Capital Territory Court in the Kurudu area of Abuja finally served justice in the matter.
Justice Mohammed Abubakar ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay the sum of N50,000,000 (fifty million naira) to the family of the late Ogbu.
The statement reads, “Today we have been vindicated by the court and justice has been served, after three and a half years of legal and political battles. The case suffered so many adjournments with frustrations but we remained undaunted.
“Justice Mohammed Abubakar of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting at Court 58, Kurudu has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay the sum of N50,000,000 (fifty million Naira) to the family of late Comrade Alex Ogbu that was killed on 21 January, 2020 during a protest of the Shi’ites.
“Comrade Alex left behind a young daughter and an unemployed wife. We are determined to get justice and we call on all Nigerians of goodwill to join us in this struggle until justice is absolutely served.”
“We appreciate Comrade Femi Falana (SAN), Abubakar Marshal and other lawyers who helped us on this case. We appreciate all the comrades and friends who stood by the family,” it added.