It was drama on Wednesday (June 7, 2017) as alleged killer of Joy Odama, Usman Adamu appears at Force Headquarters in Abuja, while family of the diseased and Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, were having meeting over the issue.
Adamu who was declared wanted by the Nigerian Police Force came into the room with some Policemen and took his seat after exchanging pleasantries with other police men seated during preliminary hearing.
Those present at the meeting include the mother of the deceased, Mrs Philomena Odama, Lead Counsel, Rose Mbata & Co, Yala Community, Abuja, represented by Godwin Offiono, the family, represented by Godwin Okuja, Basic Rights Enlightenment Foundation, represented by Augustine Okechukwu, and also other witnesses including the cook, Ms Victoria and Elizabeth, who took the late Joy Odama to the alleged killer, Adamu.
According to Offiono, who has spare headed the call for justice for the deceased, the IGP instructed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of the IGP to conduct preliminary hearing on the matter and revert to him.
He said, “At the end of the hearing, all parties were now taken to see the IGP who unfortunately was not on seat. The parties were rather informed by the DCP -IGP that on the instructions of the IGP, a fresh autopsy shall be conducted.
“Therefore, parties were requested to report tomorrow (Thursday) by 7am at the National Hospital, Abuja, for a fresh autopsy to be conducted, where other consultant pathologists shall collectively participate in the exercise.
“The DCP-IGP later informed all that the Nigeria Police shall bear the responsibility of the cost of the fresh autopsy contrary to her earlier refusal to foot the bill. At this point, the session came to an end.”
However, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Intelligence, AIG, Umaru Shehu Usman and the then District Police Officer, DPO, Karmo Police Division, CSP Nkem Raphael, who were alleged to have frustrated the case were absent at the meeting.
The Senate on Tuesday promised to carry out a holistic investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death by asking its Committee on Police and Judiciary to carry out further legislative action on the case.
The resolution of the Senate was sequel to a Point of Order by Senator Rose Oko, who asked the Senate to investigate the “dastardly act committed on the person of one of her constituents, Miss Joy Odama.”