*FROM THE STABLES OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE, UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, BENIN CITY.*

*WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE CASE OF JULIANA MARTINS, VIS A VIS THE INJUSTICE THAT STARES AT THE FACE OF HEAVEN AND THE PLACE OF THE LAW.*

Permit me to painfully bleed out this short story of Juliana Martins' travail with my borrowed pen as it happened in the early hours of 28th of October 2021. Although it's we have worked in pursuit of justice from the background but it's needful to state the official position formally.

I Will be short as there is not enough space to accommodate any long speech. Juliana Martins is one of our final year students that takes her lectures from Ekehuan axis of University of Benin, where her Mass Communication department is located at. It happened that she was one of the students under the auspices of Niger Delta students Government that was shortlisted and invited for a workshop by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Ltd (NPDC) on the New Petroleum Industrial Act. The workshop was supposed to be a two days seminar where two batches were to be lodged at Randeki hotel G.R.A. Benin City. Of course Juliana Martins name fell into the second batch that were to take their seminar after the first batch.

However, the honeymoon between the NPDC and the participants of the workshop went sour from the first day, as participants where ill- treated and the inability to provide the necessary logistics for the seminar to run smoothly. This led to the registration of total displeasure by the participants who were left stranded in their hotel rooms. The ugly incident occasioned a move On the 27th of October, when all the participants went straight to the gate of NPDC to enquire why they are being ill-treated. It happened that the company pleaded that they should go back and come back the next day for a proper meeting which the participants unanimously agreed.

The vexed issue that controls the bleeding pen of this write-up happened on the 28th of October when the participants came back as agreed by the Company. It happened that as early as 7:30am, the participants were already at NPDC gate waiting for the workers of the company to come on board for proper meeting. Sadly it was on a rainy day as all the participants were drenched by the rain. Of course Juliana Martins was one of the participants that were present that day!

However, things fell apart when some black vans with the Inscription "Anti Terrorist Unit" ably led by DSP Emmanuel Odagboyi entered the scene and ordered all the participants to leave the gate, else something will happen. To the total surprise of the participants, the leader of the Anti- Terrorist Unit, DSP Emmanuel Odagboyi added "if you all don't leave here, I will shoot all of you and nothing will happen". In not less than few minutes that was necessary, DSP Emmanuel Odagboyi and his men started shooting sporadically when the participants did not disperse.

It's interesting to draw your attention to the fact that before DSP Emmanuel Odagboyi and his men came to the scene, the DPO of Ogba Police station jurisdiction, Mrs Evelyn by name was already there trying to diplomatically douse the issue. But against her presence, DSP Emmanuel Odagboyi opened fire which resulted in the shot and bullet that Juliana Martins inherited in her leg which has kept her down over two months now and we are still counting.

NOW THE PLACE OF THE LAW.

It saddens my heart that irrespective of the due process we, as the student Union Government have followed since this issue was birthed, DSP Emmanuel Odagboyi has not been brought under the due process of law in order to account for his actions. Yes the Student Union Government of University of Benin ably led by his President, Comr. Foster Amadin Osazee has gone to the state command countless times without numbers in order to see that justice is done but it seems that the law has been kept in the dark and continuosly suffocated to yet notice that DSP Emmanuel Odagboyi's action of firing a live bullet at peaceful and armless citizens has kept one of the citizens that the law mandates him to protect into a very sorry state. I have known the powers of the police to be captured under the provisions of *Section 4 of the Police Establishment Act of 2020 which is to protect the lives and freedom of every Citizen of Nigeria as has been permitted under Chapter 4 of Nigeria constitution and Africa Charter on human and people's right*.

Juliana Martins was acting within the ambit of *Section 39 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria* when she came out to express her displeasure against NPDC treatment but DSP EMMANUEL Odagboyi decided to violate such right by shooting at her instead of protecting her. I hope our laws are still active and there's a price for a person who fires at an armless peaceful civilian registering her displeasure. On this score, we demand that DSP Emmanuel Odagboyi should be brought to book as his actions have caused Juliana Martins pains for over two months now. We would not be silent on this, but will draw the attention of the whole world until justice is served.


NOW TO NPDC AND THE THE LAW.

It's also sad and disheartening that irrespective of the fact that Juliana Martins was shot by DSP Emmanuel Odagboyi as a direct result of NPDC failure to provide the appropriate facilities and logistics needed for the Petroleum Industrial Act workshop organized by it's company, NPDC has abandoned Juliana Martins to suffer the wounds of gunshots alone without proper visitation. It's most sad to state that NPDC through his agent Daura Abubakar by name has visited Juliana Martins only once at UBTH where series of promises that never saw the light of fulfilment was made. This is sad and everyday it grows a strong pain in our marrow knowing that Juliana Martins who is a student and a priceless asset to our institution lie in pain all day longing for a messiah that will set off her bills that has now accumulated into millions.

The way I know the law to be is that under Vicarious liability, a principal must answer to the ill-actions of his agents, so far the agent is within the cause of his duties. It's appropriate to say that when DSP Emmanuel Odagboyi shot Juliana Martins on the 28th of October, he was acting on the interest of NPDC. Hence NPDC would have naturally known that the consequences of such action is to bear the liability.

Assuming without conceding that DSP Emmanuel Odagboyi was on the frolic of his own, NPDC will still be liable to have ensured that Juliana Martins gets the best welfare, this is because Juliana Martins did not come to the province of NPDC as a trespasser but came as an invitee. Hence she's supposed to have been given all the safety she needed to conduct her duties within the premises of NPDC.

Having said all these, we want the whole world to know and understand that the act of DSP Emmanuel Odagboyi and NPDC in causing pains to Juliana Martins who is supposed to be graduating next year April is an injustice that stares at the face of heaven. We are displeased with the fact that everything about Juliana Martins is on a stop; her academics, welfare, enjoyment and work. We have taking it unto ourselves not to relent, until justice is done.


*Signed*
*Ekene Aninze*
*Attorney General, SUG UNIBEN*

The only way to stop police brutality is to be brutal to police. An eye for an eye and there will be peace in the whole world.

Pray to your God for protection each morning in Nigeria. Because life had lost its value in Nigeria

I drove past the NPDC head office that morning and noticed young men and women peacefully holding placards. Never knew what the issue was.

I never knew some overzealous idiots went to shoot at peaceful protesters there, and I'm sure it's same for most residents of Benin.

Hope the governor has been briefed.


Meanwhile, that's one of the most useless agencies in the region. Minimal to no positive impact on the lives of the indigenes in terms of infrastructural development or even gainful employment of the youth.

Small charade workshop, dem call antiterrorism unit on the students. SMH!