Mother Rejects N5m After Police Killing of 22-Year-Old Son in Cross River

Victoria Mba

Victoria Mba, the mother of 22-year-old Moses Mba, who was allegedly beaten and shot by policemen attached to the residence of Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, in Calabar, has rejected the N5m offered by government representatives, insisting that her family wants justice, not money.

She revealed that officials who visited her home on Thursday presented the cash as part of a condolence gesture, but the family turned it down. “They brought N5m. We rejected it. Is the value of my son’s life N5m? They said it was a condolence visit, but I don’t know where condolence is done with money in that way. I want justice, not money,” she said.

Moses, the family’s first son, was shot on August 1 after he reportedly told relatives he was going to preach to the governor. His mother said security personnel accosted him at the gate and attacked him instead of sending him away. “They beat him and shot him in the leg. That’s how they ended my son’s life,” she said.

He was hospitalized for eight days under the watch of plainclothes operatives before he died. The family has demanded an autopsy to confirm whether he died from the gunshot wounds or from the alleged assault. “They think they can silence me with money. My son was my first child, my pride. I will not be silenced,” Victoria said. She also called for the arrest of all security officers involved.

Governor Otu’s Chief Press Secretary, Linus Obogo, confirmed that the governor had condemned the shooting and ordered a police investigation. He maintained that the money offered was not a bribe but a gesture to support burial expenses. “We could not have visited and left them empty-handed,” he said.

The Cross River State Police Command said the case is under investigation. The Police Public Relations Officer, Igri Ewa, explained that the officer involved is facing internal disciplinary action and that the outcome of the probe will be made public.

Civil rights groups have also weighed in. Debo Adeniran, President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, condemned the killing as extrajudicial and urged the Inspector-General of Police to ensure accountability. John Umeh, South-South Zonal Director of the Legal Aid Council, described the killing as “reprehensible” and called for a befitting burial for Moses before any discussion of compensation.

Victoria Mba maintains that her fight is not about money but about justice. “I have lost my identity, my pride. If they think N5m will buy our silence, they don’t know me. I want justice for Moses,” she said.