The family of a newspaper vendor Ifeanyichukwu Okereke who was shot dead by a security aide to the Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila has written to the Speaker, asking for N500 million as compensation.
The family’s lawyer Mike Ozekhome signed the letter dated November 23 following approval from the deceased’s father Okorie Okereke and younger brother Destiny Okereke.
The letter read: “Our clients have instructed us to make from your good self, the following modest demands: That you use your good offices to ensure the immediate prosecution of your security aide (Abdullahi Hassan), who went on a frolic of his own, clearly acted outside the purview of his duty and responsibility by shooting to death an innocent, harmless and armless citizen.
“That you adequately compensate the Okereke family with a modest sum of N500m only. This monetary demand can never adequately replace or take the place of their son, husband, brother, and breadwinner’s life. But it will at least mitigate the obvious trauma and hardship the premature demise of their irreplaceable breadwinner has placed on them.”
The family also asked the Speaker to ensure that the safety of vendors is guaranteed as they had become afraid to return to the streets since the tragic incident.
The Okereke family said it would take legal action against Gbajabiamila if all the demands are not met within seven days.
Last week, the Department of State Services arrested the operative who fired the fatal shot Abdullahi Hassan.
