Letter to Wike on gruesome murder of late Mr. Simon Ihuarulam by his taskforce

The Office of the Governor of Rivers State,

His Excellency, Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezenwonye Wike,

Executive Governor of Rivers State,

Government House,

Port Harcourt,

Rivers State.

Sir,

We are a duly registered body of a non-profit, non-partisan and non-governmental, Human Rights Organisation with National Headquarters located in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Nigeria, with objectives of enhancement of Human Rights awareness across national boundaries in consonance with universally accepted norms of Human Rights and fundamental freedoms.

We have been consulted and our humanitarian services retained by Mrs. Simon Ihuarulam, whom we shall hereinafter refer to as “Our Complainant” and on her specific instruction we are obliged to write you sir.

Our Complainant is a law abiding and responsible citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, whose husband earn his living and that of his family through commercial bus business. That in the morning of Sunday, being the 12th day of March, 2023, he was about his bus business as usual around Rumuokoro axis, when operatives of the rivers state taskforce on street trading and illegal motor parks/road congestion as led by the head of the Rumuokoro team forcefully removed his bus battery and pulled out the valve of his tire and took the battery to their office opposite Emmanuel Anglican Church at Rumuokoro.

It is the complainant’s brief that when her husband went to the office of the taskforce operatives to demand for the battery and inquire to know his offence; that some of the operatives of the taskforce pounced on him and beat-him-up on the grounds that he had the confidence to come and demand for his battery. It was in the course of beating her husband that he collapsed and lost consciousness.

When the operatives saw that our complainant had collapsed, they rushed him to a nearby hospital for treatment. But due to the critical state her husband the said hospital referred them to the University Teaching Hospital Uniport for treatment. That it was while her husband was admitted in the hospital that he finally entered comer with oxygen administered on him.

That few hours later her husband died due to complications from the injuries inflicted on him as a result of the torture and maltreatment he received from the operatives under your control. There were injuries to his head and entire body, which shows that her body was battered with dangerous weapons.

That the co-members of the deceased’s transport association began to protest immediately and short down all transport activities on the said day which crippled commercial activities. This same issue is within the public domain and was broadcasted by conventional and unconventional media house in the state. To calm the situation the matter was immediately reported to the Special Area Divisional Police Headquarters at Rumuokoro, Rivers State and later they transferred same to the homicide department at State Criminal Intelligence Investigative Department (SCIID) Rivers State Police Compound. Meanwhile, members of the deceased’s bus driver’s association are still demanding justice to be done as they are very ready to continue with the protest until justice is served in this matter. They also issued a four-day ultimatum against the State Government to do something about the welfare and upkeep of their deceased member and immediate family or face further protest. All these are within the public domain.

Note that you have forty-eight (48) hours from the date of your receipt of this letter to investigate the proprietary or otherwise of the conduct of these operatives involved in these dastardly acts and devise means on how the young family the deceased left who are currently distraught and not being catered for as a result of his gruesome murder. Note that the deceased left behind his wife and five children who are now suffering the painful exit of a husband, father and bread-winner.

Further note that failure to comply with these demands will leave us with no other option than to seek relief from the court of law as soon as possible.

Please find attached receipts and documents showing that the deceased was admitted at UPTH and that he died from the torture and injury as a result of the gruesome acts of the operatives of your taskforce.

A stitch in time saves nine.

Yours faithfully,

FOR: HUMAN RIGHTS SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL FOUNDATION.

Justine Ijeomah

(Executive Director)

Joseph C. sawabelem, Esq.

(Attorney-At- Law)

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