Three years after the death of George Adams Nwosu, his family says they are still waiting for answers regarding the circumstances surrounding his death, alleging he was fatally stabbed by a police officer.
Nwosu, a resident of House 2, Madam Jolly Close, Beechwood Estate, Bogije, Ibeju-Lekki, died on October 11, 2023, following a confrontation with officers of the Nigeria Police Force at his residence.
According to the family, officers arrived that morning with a court-issued arrest warrant for Nwosu’s brother-in-law, Ehimen Raphael Eromomene, whom they believed was inside the home.
The family said the officers were searching for Raphael in connection with allegations related to homosexuality and other activities prohibited under Nigerian law.
A search of the premises was conducted, but Raphael was not found. Relatives said the officers then questioned Nwosu’s wife, Raphael’s sister about her brother’s whereabouts. When she stated she did not know where he was, she was allegedly handcuffed and placed into a police vehicle.
Nwosu objected to his wife being taken away, arguing that she was not the person named in the warrant. The family said officers then attempted to handcuff him as well, sparking an altercation. Relatives claimed Nwosu was particularly distressed over the safety of his three teenage daughters, who were present and visibly traumatized.
The family alleges that during the scuffle, one of the officers drew a knife and stabbed Nwosu. He sustained a severe wound, bled profusely, and was later transported to a hospital by a Good Samaritan after a prolonged delay. Medical personnel attempted to resuscitate him, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
He was pronounced dead at about 4:15 p.m.
Relatives maintain that Nwosu was never the target of the police operation and that the circumstances surrounding his fatal injury have never been properly explained.
Three years on, the family says it has received no satisfactory answers regarding whether a formal investigation was ever conducted, what findings were reached, or whether any officer was held accountable.
They are calling on Nigerian authorities, human rights organizations, civil society groups, Amnesty International, and the general public to support their demands for an independent and credible investigation into the incident.
The family wants authorities to establish the legal basis for the police operation, the circumstances surrounding the alleged detention and handcuffing of Nwosu and his wife, the sequence of events leading up to the confrontation, whether an officer used a knife against Nwosu, the identity of any officer involved, the medical evidence surrounding his death, and whether anyone should face criminal, disciplinary, or civil liability.
The family’s account remains a series of allegations that require thorough investigation and due process. The Nigeria Police Force and any officers implicated must be afforded a fair opportunity to respond and present their account of events.
Until an independent inquiry clarifies the facts, the family says it will continue to pursue every lawful avenue to ensure the circumstances of George Adams Nwosu’s death receive the transparent scrutiny they deserve.
