*Police set to prosecute the assailants as family calls for diligent prosecution

Four soldiers have tried by the Nigerian Army and dismissed for stabbing and killing an officer of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), CN Kingsley Ifeanyi Chiwetalu while on official duty at Bida, Niger State in the second week of March, 2024. 

After the soldiers were diamissed, they were handed over to the Niger State Police Police Command for prosecution in established case of the stabbing the officer to death.

CN Chiwetalu was stabbed to death during an altercation on a highway in the state, the Niger State Police Command announced at the weekend, May 24.

Posting the information on its Facebook wall, the Police stated that, “the men (accused Soldiers), whose names were given as Sani Munzani, aged 24 years; Abubakar Auwalu, aged 26 years; Abubakar Sani, aged 23 years and Muazu Hassan, aged 22 years, committed the act in the Bida area of the state”.

According to the command, “a team of NDLEA officers who were on stop and search duty at Ramat Junction, Bida flagged down a motorcycle that had two soldiers who did not wear uniforms and requested for their identification.

“However, the soldiers were said to have refused to produce any means of identification, and the NDLEA officers decided to search their bags, though nothing incriminating was found by the officers.

“This was said to have infuriated the two soldiers who engaged them in arguments and later left the scene. 

“They thereafter returned with more soldiers to the scene and descended on the anti-narcotic officers.

“Unfortunately during the fight, an officer of the NDLEA, named Kingsley Chiwetalu, was stabbed at the back with a knife by one of the soldiers while, his rifle was taken away. 

“The injured officer was taken to Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Bida, where he gave up the ghost.

“However, during investigation by the police in collaboration with 18 Brigade of the Nigeria Army, Bida, six soldiers were identified to have been involved in the incident, four were court martialed and dismissed, while two were said to have escaped.

“The four soldiers were handed over to the police for prosecution, while Sani Munzani confessed to have stabbed the officer.

“All suspects are under investigation in SCID, Minna and will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.”

Meanwhile, the Chiwetalu family of Ezema, Eziowa Mgbagbu-Owa, Ezeagu LGA, Enugu State, has appealed to the police for justice for the family.

Speaking, the most elderly male and title holder on the family, Ozo Eziokwu bu Ndu (97 years), said he is worried it is not the NDLEA bit the police that would prosecute the killers of their son, saying that often, the police have messed up prosecutions of that nature, leading to the discharge of such culprits for want of diligent prosecution. 

He noted that were it the Military that was killed under the circumstance, the family and community of the assailants would have been raised through unjustifiable self-help by the military and appealed for only but justice in the matter.

“I know that Ifeanyi cannot come back to life, but we would be happy if his spirit rests in peace when his killers are sent to their graves as well,” he said.

The late Kingsley’s mother, Mrs. Virginia Chiwetalu, was indisposed to speak due to shock, but a close family member said “all we need is justice. We must thank the Military and the Police for the quick investigation but we want the killers of our son to face the music, that’s the only acceptable justice”.