Mother of slain Delta musician Oghenemine Ogidi has demanded that the police officers involved in her son’s killing face the same fate he suffered.
Oghenemine, also known as Mene and OG, was shot dead on April 26 in Effurun, Delta State, after he was arrested by police officers.
A video of the incident, which circulated on social media, showed the 28-year-old seated on the ground with his hands tied behind him while pleading before he was shot.
Speaking in an interview with News Central on Friday, his mother said punishment for those involved would not bring back her son, but it would show that justice was done.
“Not that it will bring my child back but I will know that Nigeria tried for me,” she said.
She also asked authorities to investigate those linked to the parcel her son allegedly came to collect. “The driver that carried that package all the way from Sapele to that park, I want them to bring the driver. And even the chairman of that park, I want him to be brought to book,” she said.
She further demanded that all four officers present at the scene be prosecuted. “And the four policemen, including the one that cocked the gun and the one that shot him, I want all of them to be brought to book,” she said.
“And the way my son died, I want them to die like that.”
The grieving mother had earlier said Oghenemine was the second son she had lost in incidents involving police officers.
“My two children were killed by the police. They first took my son in 2022, and now they have taken another one from me again. How do I survive this? What did I do to the police?” she said in an earlier interview with BBC News Pidgin.
Oghenemine’s elder brother Victor said the family began searching for him after hearing he had been arrested. “Someone sent me the video of my brother when the police shot him. My brother was the closest person to me,” he said.
He described the late musician as a peaceful person known in the area for entertaining people at events.
“My brother always wanted to be a musician. Anytime we had a party, he was always the star act,” he added.
His sister said Oghenemine left home after telling the family he was going to collect a waybill from someone in Sapele.
“In the evening, he had not returned. We later heard he had been arrested. We went to different police stations but they said they had not seen him,” she said.
Police said officers attached to Area Command, Effurun, acted on information that a suspect was trying to collect a parcel said to contain a Beretta pistol and four rounds of ammunition.
The police later said Assistant Superintendent of Police Nuhu Usman fired his weapon in violation of regulations, leading to Oghenemine’s death.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu has approved the dismissal and prosecution of Usman and other officers found culpable.
Force spokesman Anthony Placid said the Nigeria Police Force maintains a zero-tolerance stance on extrajudicial actions and abuse of power.
Delta State police spokesman Bright Edafe also said Usman would face murder charges.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori condemned the killing and said the state government would monitor the case and support the family.
