The family of Godwin Akpakpan were thrown into a mourning state when his life was cut short at his prime by men of the Nigerian Police Force and Soldiers on the 16th of April, 2025.
Godwin Akpakpan (23) was a brilliant and calm 300 level student of UniPort before he was killed by men in uniform.
Story has it that, Godwin Akpakpan who was a student of University of Port Harcourt was arrested by men on Police uniform for no just reasons while on his way to his lodge from his elder brother’s lounge around Jephthah Comprehensive, East-West Road, Port Harcourt.
Godwin Akpakpan did not return home as expected, and all efforts to get to his phone line proved abortive not until the next day (evening) when a man who identified himself as a police man from State CID picked Godwin’s call. The family of Godwin got the shock of their lives when they got to the station and were told that, their son who was hale and healthy was dead as a result of police negligence, brutality, unwarranted arrests of innocent citizens and constant harassment of Nigerian youths. Godwin became a victim of police intimidation and sent to his early grave in the hands of those who were equipped, trained and meant to protect lives and properties.
The only explanation the policemen gave to the family of Godwin Akpakpan was that, he was arrested alongside other persons during a stop-and -search operation and were being taken to their station at SARS road. While on their way, they saw three ladies in the company of two men. The ladies seemed to be in distress so the police stopped to help. According to the police, the ladies said the men wouldn’t let them go. The men identified themselves as soldiers. For whatever reason, an altercation occured between the police men and the soldiers and as soon as the policemen entered their vehicles and drove off, gunshots were fired at their vehicles by the soldiers. So, one of the fires shots hit Godwin Akpakpan and was later pronounced dead. An explanation that looks like a tale tell under a mango tree.
The policemen are denying killing Godwin, while at the same time, the soldiers are also denying being responsible for Godwin’s death. An act that looks like an intentional act just to cover up some things and also confuse the public about how Godwin was killed.
There have been series of meetings with the commissioner of Police on this particular death of a promising young man whose life was cut short by an unprofessional men of uniform who abandoned their core duties to engage on indiscriminate arrests of innocent people on the street of Port Harcourt and Nigeria at large.
A few days ago, a team of investigators from the Nigerian Army were at the State CID to record and take statements of the policemen, witnesses and the family of the late Godwin which lasted for about 6 hours.
The questions on the lips of Nigerians is, why was Godwin and others arrested? What really happened between them and the so-called Soldiers that led to shooting indiscriminately? Because, it has become a norm for Nigerian Police to carry out an arrest purposely to extort, intimidate and coerse young boys into parting away with huge amounts of money without any cause.
Until these questions and many more are answered and as the family want justice and the officer(s) who pulled the trigger and others who carried out the unprofessional and unnecessary prosecuted without an element of political display on the matter.
