By Ushang Ewa
Cross River Governor, Senator Ben Ayade has vowed to pursue the case of murdered 20 year old Joy Odama till the Supreme Court to ensure justice prevails no matter how slow the wheel of justice might be.
Governor Ayade spoke through the Director General of the Department of Due Process and Price Intelligence, Alphonsus Eba, at a briefing in Abuja where he said that he will take the matter to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Miss Osama, a 200 level mass communication student in the Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH) was allegedly murdered by one Alhaji Adamu Usman of Karmo, Abuja on December 20, 2016 and Mr. Ayade said the loss was felt across the world.
VANGUARD reports that he blast the slow pace of investigation by the Police and alleged it was a ploy to bury the case while NGN10 million has been released for her burial with the services of Barrister Kanu Agabi, a senior advocate of Nigeria retained to pursue the case.
“The gruesome and dastardly murder of Miss Joy Odama an indigene of Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State is one loss which pain is not just felt by Cross Riverians alone, but Nigerians and the world.
“We, as a state, followed with keen interest the dimension and the conundrum which has been brought into this by the activities of the Police.
“Today, we call on the world that as a government His Excellency has given immediate instruction to the Attorney General of Cross River State to commence action with the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation. The Law Firm of Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), is also on stand-by.
“We want to place on record that this is one death that will bring to global attention the very wicked, callous and unconscionable attitude of Nigeria Police Force.
“And the Governor himself has directed that he will do a personal letter to President Muhammadu Buhari on this issue, because one Assistant Inspector General of Police has been indicted and officers of the Karmo Police Station have been mentioned in connection with this.
“Meanwhile, the key suspect is walking free. We demand his arrest within 24 hours. Burial Meanwhile, Governor Ayade also disclosed that late Joy Odama will be buried next week Tuesday in Yala Local Government Area as he has released N10 million to give her a befitting burial.
“Any injustice to a life of a human being is injustice to all and as we seek for the quest for justice the Governor has directed that we allow Joy Odama to rest in peace.
“In the light of that Joy Odama’s corpse will be conveyed to Yala Local Government on Tuesday and will be interred on Wednesday.
“That we want to bury Joy Odama does not mean we want to bury this matter.
“The Governor has declared that no matter how slow the wheel of justice is going to be, whether he leaves government in the next four or eight years, Cross Riverians and the world at large should know that Cross River State Government will take this matter as one and completion of this matter at the Supreme Court will be followed religiously and sanctimoniously.
“The state government, which has, in addition to the amount paid for the brief to be handled by the legal firm of Kanu Agabi and the State Attorney General, has also released another NGN10 million to give a befitting burial to Joy Odama and to also ensure that the siblings of Joy Odama are properly catered for.
“All arrangements have been made to ensure that the parents of the deceased are going to be taken care of by the Ministry of Social Welfare in Cross River State, and this is a message to all Cross Riverians that wherever you live, please live freely, know that you have a government that cares for you,” he said.
CrossRiverWatch had reported that the Cross River State House of Assembly led by Honorable John Lebo had on June 6, 2017 passed a five point resolution following a calling on the Attorney General of the federation and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to constitute a probe panel.
Two days later, at plenary in the House of Representatives, Honorable Jarigbe Agom representing Ogoja/Yala federal constituency presented a petition requesting the house to summon the IGP and mandate him to begin an in depth investigation into the murder of miss Odama.
The Police later in June said it was ready to prosecute Alhaji Usman but stressed that did not mean he had been pronounced guilty.
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