The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has accused the Federal Government and the police of attempt to cover up killers of his brother, Olajide Felix.
Felix, brother of the human rights activists, was shot dead by suspected herders in Okada area, in the Ovia North-East Local government area of Edo State on Saturday, September 4, 2021.
Felix was a student of Pharmacy at the Igbinedion University before the unfortunate incident.
But a year after his gruesome death, the police have been dilly-dallying as regards the prosecution of those arrested in connection with the murder of Felix.
Sowore, in a statement posted on his Twitter handle on Sunday, exactly a year after the killing of Felix, said, “A year ago, my immediate younger brother Olajide Felix Sowore was brutally cut down by forces undoubtedly connected to the Muhammadu Buhari regime.
“I say it without hesitation that events following his brutal murder points to state complicity.
“Upon his gruesome murder our family made several efforts to resolve his murder by cooperating with the Nigeria Police Force, despite several meetings and phone conversations nothing concrete was done to unravel his killers except the police trying to cajole the family to bury him without carrying out an autopsy.
“Shortly after his burial the Police presented photos of two young men they alleged were ‘Fulani herdsmen/kidnappers’ they arrested in a forest. They stated that these men had ‘confessed’ to killing my brother during a kidnapping operation at an abandoned Police check point near Benin City.
“They promised to commence prosecution in two weeks, that was in October 2021. We never heard back from the Nigerian police again.
“My brother lived a fulfilled life, he designed his life the way he wanted it and lived accordingly until his life was cut short. He struggled against poverty, left home to build an independent life when he didn’t think he was ready for tertiary education and after he settled down in Benin City he decided to get a Pharmacy degree at a private university, Igbinedion University near Benin City in Edo state.
“He was in his second year and it was while he was on his way from school that these forces double crossed and murdered/assassinated him at an abandoned police check point (they claimed policemen were off duty at the time.
“My brother is gone and we keep missing him dearly.
“However, we remain committed to ensuring that his death will not be in vain and that the conditions that permits the unconscionable termination of life by dark forces propelled by impunity, incompetence and complicity in Nigeria would be wiped out during our time as a result those responsible for his murder should not rejoice. Justice will prevail no matter how long it is delayed.
“I must thank all our compatriots that stood by/with our family during one of the hardest stages of the grief we went through upon his shocking demise.”
