A human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has petitioned Alonyenu Francis Idu, the Bayelsa State Command of the Nigeria Police Force, over the alleged murder of an upcoming Nigerian wrestler, Abasifreke John Jeremiah.
Effiong in the petition dated January 5 and acknowledged on January 8, 2024, by the office of the Police Commissioner, demanded for thorough investigation and coroner’s inquest into the circumstances surrounding his death to enable the family to have full closure of what happened to their son.
The petition which was at the instance of the deceased father, Supol John Jeremiah (retd) was titled: “Petition on the suspected murder of Mr Abasifreke John Jeremiah: A demand for thorough investigation and coroner’s inquest”.
According to the petition, the deceased, Abasifereke, until his death was a reputable Nigerian wrestler with an enviable track record of outstanding deliveries in various competitions he participated in which earned him admiration from fans and colleagues.
“He left Akwa Ibom State on 10th December 2023 for Bayelsa State preparatory to a wrestling competition scheduled for January 2024. Upon his arrival in Bayelsa, he was accommodated in a lodge provided to him by the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Daniel Igali,” the petition indicated.
On Wednesday, December 28, 2023, Effiong said his client’s family received a report from his coach in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Ekom Akwa, that the coach in Bayelsa State, one Mr. Areh Agberekeme of the Bayelsa State Sports Council, had informed him that his son travelled by boat in the company of “his friends” to attend a traditional marriage somewhere in Bayelsa State and that the boat capsized on their way back on 27th December 2023.
The petition partly read: “On the said 28th December 2023, our Client called Mr. Areh to confirm the veracity of the troubling report of the death of his son. The said Mr. Areh informed our Client that the deceased drowned when the boat capsized and that he could not be rescued. Mr. Areh also told our Client that they were still searching for the corpse of the deceased.
“On Friday, the 29th of December 2023, Mr. Areh informed our Client and other members of his family through phone calls that the corpse of the deceased had been recovered. Following this information, our Client and other members of his family demanded that Mr. Areh should take a photograph of the body of the deceased and send it to them for identification.
“To the chagrin of our Client and his family, Mr. Areh blatantly and repeatedly refused to send the photograph(s) claiming that he was under the instruction of his boss Mr. Daniel Igali the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Youth and Sports not to send the photograph(s) of the corpse to any member of the deceased family.
“On the same 29th December 2023, Mr. Areh told a sister of the deceased and our Client that the body of the deceased had been taken to the mortuary. All entreaties by our Client to convince Mr. Areh to send photograph(s) of the body of his deceased son to him were rebuffed.
“Saddened and agitated by the shocking news and the refusal by Mr. Areh to send the photograph(s) of the corpse, our Client made spirited efforts to get the photograph(s) of the body of his deceased son which eventually yielded results after our Client was anonymously availed of a photograph of the corpse.
“To the utter consternation of our Client, the photograph of the deceased raises reasonable suspicion that Mr. Abasifreke John Jeremiah may have been gruesomely murdered; contrary to the questionable drowning claim that is being peddled. The photograph evinces apparent and undisputable signs of a deep cut in the neck and a bloodied body.”
Effiong explained that the position of his client was not to make a definitive finding or scientific conclusion on the cause of his son’s death. “We believe that “a credible, independent, and thorough investigation by a Coroner should settle controversies surrounding the cause of Abasifreke’s death and give the traumatized family of the deceased closure.
“It is in view of the foregoing that we have petitioned your good office to demand an expedited, diligent, and unbiased investigation into this matter to ensure that justice is not only done but is manifestly seen to have been done in this case.
“Pursuant to Sections 1, 2, 8, and 9 of the Coroners Law of Bayelsa State currently in force, we demand that this case be referred to a Coroner to hold an Inquest to unravel the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of our Client’s son, Late Mr. Abasifreke John Jeremiah.”
He reminded the Police Commissioner that the fundamental right to life is guaranteed by Section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). “Human life is precious and the sanctity of life must never be taken for granted”.