An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), David Ameh Agbo, on Tuesday narrated before the independent investigative panel on violations of rights by the defunct SARS and other police units sitting in Abuja how a brother to a petitioner before the panel died of gunshot injury he sustained in a gun duel between the police and armed robbers.
Agbo made the narration while testifying as a respondent in the petition, marked 2020/IIP-SARS/ABJ/117, filed by Confidence Leera, on behalf of his brother, Edward Dumisara, alleging unlawful arrest and enforced disappearance.
SP Martin Samuel; DSP Essien Edet; Agbo; IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT) “D” Division, Itam, Uyo; Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State and the Inspector-General of Police were listed as respondents in the petition before the panel set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
Led in evidence by his counsel, Gabriel Urom Okpata, Agbo told the panel that Dumisara died on June 20, 2020 at Bowe community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State in the course of the IGP-IRT’s investigation into a case of conspiracy, armed robbery and murder of two policemen, Sergeants Habila Saleh and Nasru Fate and attempted murder of Nnamdi Ihunukara and Innocent Inuoha.
According to him, the deceased, whose remains he said were at the mortuary of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) in Port Harcourt and his gang members were involved in robbing a convoy conveying money of a company, Paddyman Nigeria Limited on July 1, 2019.
He informed that after killing the policemen, the gang members carted away one AK-47 rifle with number BE360676 with 30 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and a LAR rifle with the number 1694857 with 38 rounds of live ammunition.
He informed that on June 19, 2020, there was an intelligent report that Dumisara’s gang members would be moving the arms from Bowe to Kobowe community, adding that his team was instructed by the IGP to recover the arms from the gang.
“Based on the IGP’s instruction, on the 20th June at about 7:30, Dumisara Leera led us to where they normally meet. We trekked for about 30 minutes in the bush.
“There was firing from every angles and we replied. It lasted for about 10 minutes. I informed my superior, SP Martin, who told me to remain there that he was going to send a reinforcement.
“Dumisara and Nnamdi Derek, alias ND, sustained gunshot injuries. We rushed them to the General Hosptal, Bori, where we were told they could not handle them. We rushed them to UPTH where the doctor on duty confirmed them dead. The doctor ordered that the dead bodies be deposited at the mortuary,” Agbo said.
He added that following the development, the appropriate authorities were notified.
According to him, while investigating the robbery, Derek confessed to them that it was Dumisara who used his vehicle to block the Paddyman convoy carrying money, adding that it was the same Dumisara who fired the shot that killed the policemen.
He further told the panel that Dumisara himself confessed that he got N250,000 from the operation as his own share of the money carted away.
ASP Agbo then urged the panel to dismiss Confidence Leera’s petition against him as the first respondent.
“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the panel to recommend to the Federal Government to compensate the families of the two policemen and the two civilian drivers,” he pleaded with the panel.
While being cross-examined by the counsel for the petitioner, Victor Giwa, Agbo informed that he first saw the deceased when he was first arrested on July 30, 2019 in connection with the kidnapping of one Obianuju Anijemba.
He informed that Dumisara was arrested in the company of the Khana LGA chairman with AK-47 rifle and a bulletproof vest, adding that he was released on bail on August 17, 2019 when he fell sick.
Asked what the purpose of the N20,000 he received from the deceased and N5,000 from the petitioner on September 26, 2019 and September 14, 2019 respectively, Agbo said they were meant as appreciation.
“I had a covenant with my Lord that I will not receive bribe as a policeman. Dumisara gave me the money on his own voluntarily. Confidence said he wanted to appreciate me,” he said.
The third respondent, Essien Edet, also testified before the panel and urged it to strike out his name from the petition as he is not an investigator and not part of the arresting team.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the panel, Justice Suleiman Galadima (retd), adjourned the petition till April 12 for adoption of parties written addresses.
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