Stephen Mba, father of the young man fatally shot in August by a security operative attached to the residence of Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State, has filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Calabar, demanding N950 million for the killing of his son.
The incident happened in Calabar. The victim, Moses, was 21 years old.
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According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Mba’s lawyers, O. R. Ogboaka and Okon Efut (SAN), filed the suit on his behalf.
In an originating motion filed on 10 October, the applicant joined Victor Edet, Police Service Commission, Commissioner of Police, and Governor Otu as respondents.
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He prayed the court to declare the torture, assault, and murder of the deceased as unlawful, unwarranted, flagrant abuse and executive recklessness against the deceased.
He prayed the court to order the respondents to pay him N950 million as exemplary and aggravated damages.
Mr Mba explained that the demanded amount is for general damages, including the torture, murder and wanton violation of the deceased’s fundamental rights.
Background
NAN recalls that the victim’s mother, Victoria, had alleged that her son was beaten and shot by the security operatives attached to the governor’s residence on 1 August 2025.
Victoria had demanded justice for her slain son.
She had explained that Moses died on 9 August at the Naval Reference Hospital, Calabar, following injuries sustained from the beating and gunshot.
According to her, Moses, who would have turned 22 in November, was beaten, shot, and left in a pool of his blood in front of the governor’s residence.
“We (my husband and I) were away in Abia State when the incident occurred; we got a call the same day from an official of the Red Cross Society who rushed him to the hospital.
“Upon our arrival at the hospital, we sought to enquire from our son the event that led to the beating and subsequent shooting.
“According to him, he only requested to see the governor and that he had a message for him from God.”
Victoria said she was not making excuses for Moses, but that her late son had a gift of prophecy, which she said was noticeable when he was just 10.
She said the family had pleaded with Moses to complete his education before considering going into ministry.
She claimed her son was beaten and shot when he insisted on seeing the governor, and that he was left on his own without assistance from those who caused him harm.
“It was the Red Cross, whose office had closed at the time, that rushed him to the hospital as he was bleeding profusely from the gunshot wound.
“They (Red Cross) also paid N1.3 million, aside from other medical bills, for his surgery,” she stated.
Victoria said that throughout the period her son was hospitalised, security operatives from the governor’s office were at his hospital bed, mounting surveillance.
She said that the plainclothes security operatives worked three times a day: morning, afternoon, and night.
Victoria dismissed the claim by Governor Otu’s security aides that her slain son had a mental disorder.
According to her, Moses wrote the last JAMB and scored 196, and his WAEC result is “perfect”. She said Moses was preparing to study business administration at the University of Calabar.
“They are saying all I need is money, and that N3 million will keep me quiet. Nigerians should please help me. I want justice for my son, who is still in the mortuary,” she said.
Cross River govt’s reaction
The Commissioner for Information in Cross River, Erasmus Ekpang, condemned the killing of Moses, but said that the governor’s security aides were not responsible for the man’s death.
He claimed that Moses was mentally challenged and that the house he went to was the governor’s former residence.
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“There is video evidence that the boy threw big stones at the policeman. He was not mentally okay, and at one point, had to apologise for throwing stones.
“In spite of this, we condemn the beating and shooting of the boy. It is not something that we should be happy about, no matter what.”
The Commissioner of Police in Cross River, Rasheed Afegbua, said the matter was before the DPP for advice.
“Whatever the DPP advises, we will follow,” he had stated.
The police operative accused of the killing has been arrested.
