The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has launched a forceful demand for justice following the tragic death of Kaduna Eboidogbin, a former Edo State Council Chairperson, during an alleged altercation with police officers.
NLC President Joe Ajaero condemned the incident as a “heinous crime”, describing the police’s explanation as “lame and ridiculous” and an insult to public intelligence.
“Nothing short of immediate arrest, detention and prosecution for murder of the officers involved will satisfy us,” Ajaero emphatically stated.
The incident occurred on Monday at a checkpoint on Upper Sakponba Road in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, where police officers reportedly stopped Eboidogbin and his wife, demanding vehicle documents.
Despite providing the required papers and identifying himself, Eboidogbin was allegedly pressured to follow officers to the station.
Civil society spokesperson Omobude Agho recounted the sequence of events: “The policemen ran and left him. It was good Samaritans who rushed him to the hospital, where he was confirmed dead before arrival.”
Ajaero warned the Nigeria Police Force against potential cover-ups, asserting, “The police stands to gain nothing when it protects bad eggs or nurtures them in its fold in the name of managing its public image. Indeed, it loses everything by doing so, including its essence.”
The NLC president urged Edo State Police Commissioner Umoru Ozigi to take transparent action, emphasizing, “The Commissioner should seize the momentum by acting with transparent courage, knowing full well life has been snuffed out via wilful conduct.”
Eboidogbin was not just a labour leader but a multifaceted public servant. He had served as Head of Uhunmwonde Local Government Administration, National Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), pioneer coordinator of the Edo Civil Society Organisation (EDOSCO), and a founding member of the Network of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria (NOCSON).
Ajaero cautioned that failure to address the matter decisively could trigger significant public backlash. “At a time when public confidence in law enforcement is fragile, the police must take our advice seriously before it faces another backlash from the public,” he warned.
The NLC recommended stricter disciplinary measures, suggesting the police could learn from the Nigerian Army’s approach to handling errant personnel.
