A civil society organisation, Justice and Equality For All Movement, on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest at the Federal High Court, Abuja, demanding the release of a police investigative report and the prosecution of Ms Asabe Waziri over the 2010 death of a pregnant woman, Mrs Shitua Aso.
Leading the protest, Barrister Moses Aham Akano insisted that the case remains a criminal matter that cannot be dismissed by the statute of limitations.
He urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to release the investigation report, which he claimed has been withheld for 15 years.
Addressing journalists, Akano said the movement has petitioned the court to order the IGP to release the report.
He emphasized that the family of the late Mrs Aso deserves justice, as she was pregnant at the time of her death, adding that the legal process must take its course to ensure justice is not denied.
He further stated that Asabe Waziri should not frustrate the judicial process with her application to join the matter, stressing that Nigerians and the world are watching, and the demand for justice must be upheld.
In May 2024, another advocacy group, Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN), also petitioned the IGP for the release of the report, warning that failure to do so would lead to legal action.
The petition, signed by GICN’s Publicity Secretary, Leticia Omeiza, cited a 30th May 2010 Sunday Trust newspaper report titled “Woman Hit with Car by Opponent,” which detailed the incident leading to Mrs Aso’s death.
According to the report, Mrs Shitua Aso had accompanied her sister, Mrs Nonto Ogunyinka, to the FCT Police Command, Garki 2, Abuja, to resolve a dispute with Ms Asabe Waziri.
After the police settled the matter, both women exchanged harsh words while leaving the station. GICN insists that the case must be reopened to ensure justice for the victim’s family.
