THE family of the late Itunu Babalola, who died in a Cote D’Ivoire prison and the Federal Government of Nigeria have rejected the autopsy result on the cause of the death of the Nigerian national.
Chairperson of the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has also announced that some lawyers have taken it upon themselves to take the matter up with the Cote D’Ivoire government at the ECOWAS court.
The father of the deceased, Emmanuel Babalola, while speaking with newsmen during a meeting with Honourable Dabiri-Erewa, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and the NiDCOM chair for her involvement before and after his daughter’s demise.
Babalola told newsmen that he was convinced that his daughter was killed, just as he called on Nigerians to ensure that justice is served in the case.
He said: “I am not satisfied with the death of my daughter, reason being that I am not satisfied with the autopsy result.
“Firstly, when she was taken to the hospital, she was bleeding from her mouth and her nose. I did not know what really happened, but suddenly, they just told me that my daughter had died.
“I want the case to be investigated. I want to know the cause of her death. She was a special child to me. She was always assisting me financially when I had problems.
“I want the Nigerian government to help me ensure that the case is properly investigated. A month before she died, the DPO that started this problem visited my daughter in the hospital and taunted her that she was still looking fresh and healthy in prison.
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“She called me and was crying. She sent the picture of the police officer to me and I told her that the chairperson [Dabiri-Erewa] had assured me that she would soon be released.”
Mr Babalola said he believed his daughter would be released before the end of November, until he was informed that she had died.
“I want Nigerians to help me. This is beyond my power. I know that she is dead already, but I want to know the cause of her death,” he pleaded.
He also alleged that “they tortured her too much .She was always crying whenever she called me from prison, but I kept assuring her that she would soon be released.”
The father also narrated how his daughter celebrated his last birthday for him despite her being in prison.
He said: “She was a special child. She was the closest to me. She was my confidant and my adviser. Whenever I was down, she always lifted my spirit with kind words and encouragement and always provided for me whenever I was broke.
“September 9 was my birthday, and she celebrated it for me. She sent somebody to prepare food and celebrate my birthday for me. I couldn’t believe it.
“I can show you the pictures of the things she bought for me for my birthday. She sent money from that place to the person. That was how she was very important to me. She was just killed like a goat. That is why I insisted that they must bring her body to Nigeria for me to give her a proper burial.”
He also stated that “when I showed the autopsy result to a doctor, he told me that what they claimed to be the cause of her death cannot kill her within two days.”
Narrating how the problem stated, Mr Babalola said: “The whole thing started when some people burgled her room and stole her belongings. She was in Nigeria then and her friends over there called to inform her.
“When she returned, she reported the incident to the police. They bargained with her to be paid N100,000 for her belongings, but she insisted that her belongings were worth N300,000. The DPO then told her to go and return in three days.
“On the third day when she went to the station, they brought a teenager and claimed that she had been missing for two weeks and that my daughter harboured her. That was how they changed the whole thing.”
Dabiri-Erewa also said that the Federal Government had rejected the autopsy report, which she described as “unacceptable.”
The NiDCOM boss, who described the whole case as “tough and tragic,” assured that the government would not allow the incident to go without ensuring proper justice.
She said: “I am not a doctor, but when I saw the autopsy result which stated, ‘Sepsis complicated by acute respiratory distress,’ that was not acceptable to me without being a doctor and I don’t think that should be accepted.
“I believe Nigeria should not let this matter go just like that. We need to demand justice.
“How come after everything had been done, the case was transferred to Abidjan? The lawyer’s fee had been paid and what was just left was for her to get out of prison.
“Everything had been done and we were so sure. Even the prosecution said the girl was not guilty of the crime she was accused of, so how come she died just like that?”
Speaking further, Dabiri-Erewa said: “We are not God, but these questions must be answered. This autopsy result, even to me, doesn’t appear acceptable. What is ‘Sepsis complicated by acute respiratory distress?’ How did it happen? I hope that we will not let this matter go just like that.
“The police officer involved in this matter, we have reported him to INTERPOL. We are not ready to relent. That police officer must be questioned.
“I am sure that the Minister of Foreign Affairs will take the next necessary steps to demand from Cote D‘Ivoire a lot more information than they had given.”
Dabiri-Erewa later presented an undisclosed amount of money to the family of the deceased.
