A Cross River resident, Mrs. Victoria Mba, has accused security operatives attached to the residence of Governor Bassey Otu of killing her 21-year-old son, Moses Mba.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, Victoria alleged that her son was beaten and shot by security officers on August 1 after insisting on seeing the governor to deliver what he described as “a message from God.”
Mrs. Mba said her son later died at the Naval Reference Hospital, Calabar, from the gunshot wounds he sustained.
She explained, “We (my husband and I) were away in Abia when the incident occurred. On our return, we got a call from an official of the Red Cross Society that rushed him to the hospital.
“When we arrived at the hospital, we asked our son what happened. He told us that he only requested to see the governor because he had a message for him from God. My son had always loved God’s work since age 10 and often spoke of visions.”
The grieving mother further alleged that security operatives monitored the hospital throughout her son’s stay.
She said, “They wore plain clothes and rotated duties morning, afternoon, and night. One aide to the governor’s chief of staff, by name Emmanuel Dickson, was in touch with us and also visited the hospital.
“When my son died on August 9, I called Dickson to inform him that the mortuary bill was N54,000, but he only sent N50,000. Now, they are even threatening us, saying there is nothing we can do since the governor is involved.”
Reacting, the Cross River Commissioner for Information, Erasmus Ekpang, clarified that the incident did not occur at the governor’s official residence but at his former house.
“Firstly, the house is not where the governor presently resides, and secondly, only one security officer was at the premises when the boy visited,” Ekpang explained.
He alleged that the deceased was “not mentally stable” and had attacked the officer.
“There is video evidence showing the boy throwing large stones at the policeman. He was not mentally okay and, at a point, even apologised for throwing the stones.
“In spite of this, we strongly condemn the beating and shooting of the boy. It is not something anyone should be happy about, no matter the circumstances,” the commissioner added.
The Cross River State Commissioner of Police confirmed that the case has been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.
Meanwhile, the victim’s family said they have not been allowed to retrieve his body for burial, as calls for justice continue to mount.
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