Orukpe: Army report, autopsy delay burial of Police inspector — wife

Mrs Favour Orukpe, the widow of Insp. Monday Orukpe, allegedly killed by some soldiers in Lagos, says her husband has not been buried due to delay in the Nigerian Army’s investigation report.

Orukpe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the non-availability of autopsy report carried out by the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja, had also contributed to the delay.

She said that the corpse was taken to LASUTH about a month ago and the hospital promised that within two weeks, the result would be out.

Chief Medical Director of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, said he had carried out the autopsy.

“I have investigated. The Autopsy has been carried out and the report will be given to the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) on Friday,” he said

NAN reports that on Aug. 3, some soldiers from Ojo Military Cantonment, allegedly clashed with some policemen controlling traffic in the area.

Orukpe’s widow reiterated her demand for justice from the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and the Inspector-General of Police (I-GP).

She said that her husband died on duty while serving the nation, adding that the COAS and the I-GP should not allow his service to the nation go to waste.

“I want justice. I want them to take care of my four children, because I can’t do it alone.

“I am sending this message to the COAS and I-GP because my husband died on duty assigned to him wearing his uniform,” she said.

The late Orukpe was enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on May 1, 2002 and he rose to the rank of a Senior Inspector before his death.

The widow said that though the family was willing to do the burial, it had no money to carry it out.

She added that the family had also agreed with the police on where to bury her husband.

The Lagos police spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, however, said that the police were always responsible for the burial of their personnel.

He explained that paper work of the deceased by his family might have delayed such fund from being released.

Hundeyin said that the earlier the deceased family started processing the papers from the division to the command pension unit before moving to Force Headquarters Abuja for final approval, the better.

In his reaction, the Acting Deputy Director in charge of Public Relations at 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj. Olaniyi Osoba, said the joint committee of the Army and the police investigating the case was ongoing.

Osoba said that the investigating team had gone far and was probing all issues surrounding the incident, administratively.

He said the report would be out when the committee concluded its findings. (NAN)