Ex-minister’s family petitions IGP

The family of the former Minister of Finance,  Senator Nenadi Usman, has petitioned Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris over the alleged murder of Anita Akapson by a policeman.

Miss Akapson, 31, was allegedly shot dead last Saturday night by yet-to-be-identified policemen in Katampe District, Abuja.

According to the family, the deceased was trailed, targeted, intercepted, her vehicle was brushed, blocked and she was shot at close range by a police officer while in her vehicle.

The family in the petition dated October 15 and signed by the legal chamber of Kayode Ajulo & Co. called for an investigation into the murder.

The petition reads: “We are solicitors to the family of Senator Nenadi Usman (hereinafter refers to as “our clients”) on whose firm and unequivocal instruction we write you this letter.

“Senator Usman is a former Minister of Finance and a distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Our clients have availed us the circumstance of the gruesome murder of their daughter, Anita Akapson, 31, who was gruesomely shot at close range by a trigger-happy police officer for reasons unknown to our clients.

“It is our brief that our clients received a distress call about 11pm on October 13 by an anonymous caller, who informed them that their daughter was in Gwarinpa District Hospital. But before the arrival of our clients at the hospital, Miss Anita had died from the gunshot injuries.

“Several eye witnesses (names withheld) told our clients how the deceased was trailed, targeted, intercepted, her vehicle brushed, blocked and shot at close range by a police officer while she was in her vehicle (an Honda Accord saloon car) in Katampe District, Abuja.”

The family said the circumstances that surrounded the death of Akapson called for an investigation, considering her closeness to the former minister, who recently had been facing persecution from the government.

“The circumstances of the trailing, tracking and gruesome murder of the deceased, who had a strong affinity with Senator Usman, a member of the leading opposition party in Nigeria, and who is facing prosecutions from the state, unleashed with inattentive executive sanctions, call for a thorough and comprehensive investigation.

“Our clients have reasons to be apprehensive, based on the circumstances as enumerated above, particularly the shielding of the suspected officer, a Superintendent of Police, involved in the matter.

“Given the level of intimidation of opposition by the instrumentalities of the state, our clients are worried as to the intent or possible calculated assassination of the deceased to further cause pain and anguish on the family.

“We, therefore, based on the foregoing, urge you to use your good offices to cause a comprehensive investigation of the killing and surrounding circumstances without further delay to unravel the intent and the culprits behind this mindless act.

“Sir, you will agree with us that the right to life is fundamental and non-negotiable. Nobody, regardless of how highly placed, should be allowed to take another person’s life and yet live freely in our society.  “We are hopeful that this matter will not be ‘heartlessly’ swept underground in an attempt to protect the perpetrators, their sponsors and intent as we have experienced in the past inglorious days of this country.

“Take notice that we would be left with no other option but to use the instrumentality of the law to seek justice in the death of Miss Anita Akapson if investigations are not timeously and thoroughly conducted.”