TRACKING >>THE family of one of the operatives from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team, Inspector Mark Ediale, who was killed by soldiers in Taraba State, has called for an independent investigation of the murder.
Describing the late Ediale as the breadwinner of the family, the family said his death has shattered the hope of his entire family.
Also, the identity of the civilian, who was also killed when the policemen came under attack, has been revealed.
The civilian, who was identified as Olajide Owolabi is said to have worked with the operatives from the IRT for about two years.
At a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the representative of Ediale family, Mr. Andrew Ediale, said anything short of getting justice amounts to conspiracy on the part of the Army who carried out the act.
He said: “If the laws fail to do the needful, we will resolve that it is an act of conspiracy. That must not happen. We, the family of the deceased, demand justice to the full extent of the law. Anything short of this is a mockery of our democracy and the law of the land.”
On why the family addressed reporters, he said: “The family of Inspector Mark Philips Ediale called this press conference so that we can call all well-meaning Nigerians and the community at large to voice out our displeasure as to the gruesome murder; the inglorious killing of our brother in Taraba State while he was on official duty for this beloved country that he had served in the past 16 years or more.
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“We vehemently speak against the perpetrators of this heinous act, the operatives which are the Nigerian Army and we demand a very thorough investigation not only by the Nigerian community but the international and an independent body as well so that justice should be truly served.
“The reason we called this conference is for justice to be served; there is no other reason, there is no other purpose. The same Army that is charged with the responsibility of protecting the citizens of this country, happens to be the same perpetrators at the helm of this heinous and barbaric act.
“Our question is: who are the soldiers working for? Whose side are they on? And on whose pay roll are these military personnel? These and many more questions we demand answers to.”
He continued: “Why was the kingpin kidnapper released? They had done their job of apprehending the kidnapper and were on their way back to Abuja when Army operatives unleashed barrages of gunshots and it was the gunshots that cut down all these gallant police officers. We demand to know why and why the kidnapper was released.
The auntie of the deceased civilian, Mrs. Joy Danlami, said Owolabi always follow the IRT operatives to wherever they went though she could not ascertain the nature of job he does for them.
Mrs. Danlami, who spoke briefly at the news conference, said: “The civilian that was killed is my younger sister’s son, Olajide Owolabi. He was working with them and he always moves around with them for the last two years now. We are also demanding justice.”
Also yesterday, Young Democratic Party (YDP) has urged the public to disregard posts and other information that suspected kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Wadume, is its member.
The party also dispelled reports that Wadume contested the Taraba State House of Assembly on its platform during the 2019 general elections.
