Abuja-based Man Shot Dead In Benin Is Victim Of Mistaken Identity -Police
The Edo State Police Command has declared that the shooting to death of a 27-year-old Abuja-based Osemwingie Odaro, over a year ago in Benin City was a “regrettable case of mistaken identity”.
Spokesman for the police in Edo SP Chidi Nwabuzor stated this in Benin while addressing protesters who were at the state police command headquarters on a one year anniversary of late Osemwingie Odaro.
The protesters mostly youths in their prime displayed placards with inscriptions “Justice For Odaro”, “Police! Are killers of Odaro spirits?” and “Ceaseless tears since October 23, 2022”.
“Our detectives at the homicide unit, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), have evidence to conclude that the unfortunate murder of one Osemwingie Odaro, 27, was a regrettable case of mistaken identity.
“The gunmen and their sponsors having mistaken him for one Osemwingie Nosa whose whereabouts remained unknown to us since 2015 when he and his mother were reportedly attacked, trailed the deceased from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where he resided.
“The complainant revealed to investigators that though the late Odaro and fleeing Nosa are paternal cousins Odaro knew nothing about land documents his killers demanded from him before they opened fire on him.
“We are fully aware that the Osemwingie family is entangled in an irreconcilable land dispute which has reportedly claimed lives and property.
“Also, the statement given by the bereaved mother of Osemwengie Odaro is among factors backing our mistaken identity case submission. However, we are really having problem with witnesses to come forward”, the police spokesman said.
The police declined to give further details of investigation but assured that the perpetrators would not escape justice forever.
Meanwhile, mother of the victim, Mrs. Angela Osemwingie had at the wake of the murder told journalists that she invited her son Odaro to Benin for spiritual fortification after he complained that he has been receiving several threats from unknown persons at the FCT.
