The Ebute-Metta Chief Magistrate Court in Lagos today failed to

arraign a 28-year-old police corporal, Musiliu Aremu, on a twocount charge of murder and causing grievous bodily harm. The
case had been instituted by Women Arise Initiative, an
organization led by a womens rights activist, Dr Joe OkeiOdumakin, in September, 2015.
Addressing the press, the lead counsel to the complainant, Mr
Silas Udoh, barrister, explained that the magistrate court was not
vested with powers to arraign a defendant in a murder case. He
said the defence team would now seek authorization from the
Ministry of Justice for the case to be transferred to the High Court
vested with such powers.
Musiliu Aremu was attached to the Isheri Oshun Police Division in
Ijegun area of Lagos. On 16 September, 2015, it was reported that
the police had shot and killed Mrs Comfort Idongesit Ekpo, a
mother of four, whose husband was a rickshaw driver (locally
known as keke driver). According to reports, the keke driver, Mr
Godwin Ekpo, and his family were returning home from church
when the police team stopped them and demanded a bribe of
2000 naira. Mr Ekpo and his wife got out and explained that they
could not afford it, and that they were a family returning from
church and had no fare-paying passengers with them. One of the
policemen then asked them to leave, but as they turned to do so,
Corporal Musiliu Aremu fired a shot at them, killing the wife
instantly and severely injuring the husband. Mrs Ekpo left four
children behindMary, 12; Blessing, 9; Abraham, 7, and 11month-old Elijah (as at the time of the incident), all of whom were
in the vehicle when the incident occurred.
Before todays court sitting, a protest march was held by the
Women Arise Initiative led by Dr Joe Odumakin. The protesters
held placards some of which read, Police, stop killing the people
you are paid to protect, Injustice to one is injustice to all, and
Justice 4 Idongesit. Addressing the rally, Dr Odumakin

expressed gratitude to the Lagos State Police Command for their

assistance to Mr Godwin Ekpo and his family so far, but called for
more compensation for the family, including a comprehensive
health insurance and an owner-occupied house. She demanded
that uniformed men should be subjected to psychiatric and
psychological tests before being armed. The widower, Godwin
Ekpo, expressed disappointment over the fact that the case could
not be heard. He called for speedy dispensation of justice to
enable him to bury his wife and put the matter behind. Also
speaking, a popular comedienne, Princess, called for justice to be
done.
The body of Mrs Comfort Idongesit Ekpo is still in the mortuary.
The case was adjourned till 25 April, 2015.