Police, Hoodlums Accused Of Killing Undergraduate, Friend

Policemen attached to the Badagry Police Division, LagosState, and
some hoodlums have been accused of killing a 25-year-old undergraduate
of Delta State University, Ifechukwude Nwainokpor, and his friend,
identified simply as Kazeem.
An eight-minute video clip of the gruesome killing, which was made
available to PUNCH Metro, showed the two victims handcuffed together.
They were covered in their own blood and beaten to death with sticks.
Tyres were also put round their necks. An irate mob could be seen in
the video, shouting, "die, die, burn them, burn them."
At some points in the video, a policeman was seen interviewing the
boys. He asked who sent them (victims) to rob the area, an accusation
they denied. One of the hoodlums, holding a sharp object attempted to
cut off the private part of one of the victims.
Nwainokpor could be seen pleading with the hoodlums and policemen to
spare his life, saying he could identify himself if given a chance.
His plea, however, fell on deaf ears.
Correspondent, who visited the family of Nwainokpor on Tuesday, learnt
that the lynching took place around 3pm on July 21, 2013 in Ajara area
of Badagry, a community not far from Nwainokpor's family home.
His father, Samuel, told PUNCH Metro that his son was arrested while
passing through a street in the area but a misunderstanding later
ensued and the hoodlums pounced on him and Kazeem.
He added that Nwainokpor, who was nicknamed Ify, was a final year
student of Geology and Mining.
He said, "On that particular day, I was in Ghana when I received a
telephone call that I should come immediately. My wife was in Delta
State taking care of her mother.
"When I arrived two days later, my relatives and the caretaker of my
house told me that my son was killed in the Ajara area along with his
friend. I was devastated.
"I got my son a temporary job with a Customs licensed agent since
their lecturers were on strike. He worked everyday except on Sundays
when he visited his friends. On that day, he went to see Kazeem and
they were strolling around Ajara."
Samuel said because there had been a robbery in Ajara four days
earlier, some of the residents were on the lookout for strange faces.
He added that when the youth saw two unknown young men, they accosted
them and an argument ensued.
He said the youth called the head of the vigilante group in the area,
one Asiribo.
He said, "Asiribo came to the scene with a locally-made pistol and
handcuffs. He handcuffed my son and his friend before asking them
questions.
"Later, it was decided that the boys be taken to the Baale, Agano
Oniyon of Agamade Ajara. But as they were going, Asiribo, while trying
to return his gun into its pouch, mistakenly shot himself in the
stomach and died."
Samuel said Asiribo's death infuriated the youth, who blamed the boys
for his death.