Badagry Jungle Justice: Community Wants Family To Settle for Cash As They Bury Their Son

Tears flowed freely as the remains of
Ifechukwudi Nwanikpor was laid to rest at the
Badagry Cemetery in Lagos yesterday. The 24-
year-old was one of two young men lynched by
villagers from the Tozukame community area in
Ajara, Badagry .
Policemen watched as both men – Nwanikpor
and Kazeem Onayemi (26) were beaten and
killed by the community members after being
labelled armed robbers.
Mourners and family members came out in their
numbers at the Badagry cemetery but couldn’t
hold back their tears at the burial.
Nigerian Telegraph spoke to Sam Nwanikpor, a
retired Immigrations officer and father of the
deceased after his son’s interment. The senior
Nwanikpor, who served for 30 years before he
retired in 2008, said that John was the oldest of
his two sons.
“He was born on 25th September, 1988 and he
was born here in Badagry, the same area where
he was murdered. He read Geology and Mining
at the Delta State University, Abraka and he was
home, hoping to put some things in place.
“Instead of being idle, myself and his mother
decided that he should go into clearing and
forwarding though with his consent. We handed
him over to a relation, who is from Isialuku and
ever since then, that’s what he has been doing;
his only free time is Sundays due to his job.”
Asked if he intends to press charges, he said,
that they would wait for the outcome of the
investigation by the police.
“We are watching and waiting. The whole world
is watching,” Nwanikpor said.
“I have a lawyer and I think he is in the best
position to answer that question. He is not
around now, if not I would have referred you to
speak to him because he knows the next line of
action.”
Nigerian Telegraph also spoke to some of the
deceased’s family members.
One of them, Mrs Rose, said, “[He] is my
nephew and I hope the Nigerian police comes
out with a better investigation [The police] are
currently doing a very good job with the arrest
of some youths involved in the killing, the Baale
of the community, who gave the order and the
police officers, who were at the scene to
supervise the horrible incident. But we are still
going to press charges; we want justice. All the
people who have a hand in the death of my
nephew must be brought to face the law.”
Blood money on the table
Some sources said that the community is now
pleading with the families of the lynched young
men and have offered about N2.5 million to the
families so that the matter is closed and
forgotten.
In reaction to that, one of the relations, Ike
Daphey, who was visibly angry, told Nigerian
Telegraph that the said amount offered to the
families cannot bring back the dead and that the
most painful part of the whole situation was that
his family was humiliated, by labelling their son
an armed robber and killing them [Nwanikpor
and Kazeem Onayemi] like animals.
“Now, the community is begging with money,
saying it was a mistaken identity. We are not
ready for all their rubbish talks, we are taking
the case to court to seek real justice, I also
blame the police because they gave their
consent to the community and supervised the
killing.
Ifechukwudi Nwanikpor’s family at their
residence in Ajara, Badagry.
Ifechukwudi Nwanikpor’s family at their
residence in Ajara, Badagry.
“The two young men were innocent of what
they were accused of. The police is supposed to
protect lives and properties and not supervise
the killing of poor innocent people, all these
people including the police that were at the
scene will never go unpunished.”
The pastor, who officiated the burial, Rev.
Fidelis Ajoko, advised the family of the
deceased to leave the case for Almighty God to
handle and he also advised the friends of the
deceased to be very careful and mindful of the
kind of places they go to. He also advised them
to be prayerful at all times.
Ajoko, who said he was shocked when he got
the news, described the late Ifechukwudi
Nwanikpor as cool-headed.
The young man’s friends from the Delta State
University were also in attendance but refused
to speak on the matter. The late Ifechukwudi
Nwanikpor was a football lover and a fan of
Chelsea Football Club of London. He was buried
with the club’s muffler.
From Nigerian Telegraph