Court Asks Police to Pay N50 Million Settlement Fee For Murdering A Journalist, Alex Ogbu

A Nigerian court has ruled that the Nigeria Police Force must pay a sum of N50 million to the family of Comrade Alex Ogbu, the journalist who was tragically killed three years ago.

It was reported that Ogbu, a journalist, trade unionist, and human rights activist, was fatally shot by a police officer on January 21, 2020, at Berger Roundabout in Wuse, Abuja.

The incident occurred amidst a violent police crackdown on demonstrators demanding the release of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, a Shi’ite group.

At the time of the incident, Ogbu was performing his journalistic duties, reporting on the protest, when a police bullet struck him.

Initially, the police claimed that Ogbu’s death resulted from a fall and subsequent head injury. However, it later came to light that he had been shot in the head by a senior police officer.

An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was severe blood loss resulting from gunshot wounds. This newspaper learnt that despite this evidence, the police authorities had avoided conducting a coroner’s inquest in an apparent attempt to shield the responsible officer.

Determined to seek justice for Alex Ogbu, a group of activists known as Justice for Alex, along with prominent lawyer and human rights activist Femi Falana (SAN), filed a lawsuit against the police and the Nigerian government.

Unfortunately, the case faced numerous adjournments, and it took nearly a year for the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to file the respondents’ defence.

After multiple delays and the involvement of three different judges, the matter was finally resolved on Wednesday at the Federal Capital Territory Court in the Kurudu area of Abuja.

In his ruling, Justice Mohammed Abubakar ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay the sum of N50 million to the late Ogbu’s family.

A statement by the family reads, “Today we have been vindicated by the court and justice has been served, after three and a half years of legal and political battles. The case suffered so many adjournments with frustrations but we remained undaunted.

“Justice Mohammed Abubakar of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting at Court 58, Kurudu has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay the sum of N50,000,000 (fifty million Naira) to the family of late Comrade Alex Ogbu that was killed on 21 January, 2020 during a protest of the Shi’ites.

“Comrade Alex left behind a young daughter and an unemployed wife. We are determined to get justice and we call on all Nigerians of goodwill to join us in this struggle until justice is absolutely served.”

“We appreciate Comrade Femi Falana (SAN), Abubakar Marshal and other lawyers who helped us on this case. We appreciate all the comrades and friends who stood by the family,” it added.