Gov Ayade takes Joy Odama’s murder case to President Buhari

Late Joy

Governor Ayade

GOVERNOR Ben Ayade of Cross River State, yesterday, vowed to take the case of murdered 200 Level student of the Department of Mass Communication, Cross River State University of Technology, CRUTECH, Joy Odama, to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Governor Ayade spoke through the Director General, Due Process and Price Intelligence Bureau, Governor’s Office, Calabar, Cross River State, Alphonsus Eba, at a briefing in Abuja.
The governor also said the matter might be pursued to the Supreme Court for justice to prevail no matter how slow the wheel of justice might be.

He said: “The gruesome and dastardly murder of Miss Joy Odama an indigene of Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State is one loss which pain is not just felt by Cross Riverians alone, but Nigerians and the world.
“We, as a state, followed with keen interest the dimension and the conundrum which has been brought into this by the activities of the Police.
“Today, we call on the world that as a government His Excellency has given immediate instruction to the Attorney General of Cross River State to commence action with the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation. The Law Firm of Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), is also on stand-by.

...blasts Police
“We want to place on record that this is one death that will bring to global attention the very wicked, callous and unconscionable attitude of Nigeria Police Force.
“And the Governor himself has directed that he will do a personal letter to President Muhammadu Buhari on this issue, because one Assistant Inspector General of Police has been indicted and officers of the Karmo Police Station have been mentioned in connection with this.
”Meanwhile, the key suspect is walking free. We demand his arrest within 24 hours.

Burial
Meanwhile, Governor Ayade also disclosed that late Joy Odama will be buried next week Tuesday in Yala Local Government Area as he has released N10 million to give her a befitting burial.
“Any injustice to a life of a human being is injustice to all and as we seek for the quest for justice the Governor has directed that we allow Joy Odama to rest in peace.
“In the light of that Joy Odama’s corpse will be conveyed to Yala Local Government on Tuesday and will be interred on Wednesday.
“That we want to bury Joy Odama does not mean we want to bury this matter.

...until the Supreme Court
“The Governor has declared that no matter how slow the wheel of justice is going to be, whether he leaves government in the next four or eight years, Cross Riverians and the world at large should know that Cross River State Government will take this matter as one and completion of this matter at the Supreme Court will be followed religiously and sanctimoniously.
“The state government, which has, in addition to the amount paid for the brief to be handled by the legal firm of Kanu Agabi and the State Attorney General, has also released another N10 million to give a befitting burial to Joy Odama and to also ensure that the siblings of Joy Odama are properly catered for.
“All arrangements have been made to ensure that the parents of the deceased are going to be taken care of by the Ministry of Social Welfare in Cross River State, and this is a message to all Cross Riverians that wherever you live, please live freely, know that you have a government that cares for you.”