Nearly five months after Lucky Amauche Ezeji was shot dead in Kwale, Delta State, his family says justice remains elusive, with no arrests or thorough investigation by the Police.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the 30-year-old Accountancy graduate of Delta State Polytechnic was killed on Christmas Day while visiting his grandmother with his pregnant wife.
According to reports, Ezeji had stepped out around 8 p.m. to retrieve his phone charger when gunmen allegedly trailed and attacked him.
Preliminary findings suggested he may have been mistaken for a rival gang member during a clash between Eiye and Black Axe confraternities, though there is no evidence linking him to cult activities.
The family expressed frustration over the Delta State Police Command’s handling of the case, alleging a lack of commitment and failure to act on intelligence and leads they provided. They said investigators have made little effort to apprehend those responsible.
The relatives accused officers at the Kwale Division and the State Command in Asaba of demanding money at different stages of the investigation. They claimed Police requested ₦50,000 per phone number to track contacts from the deceased’s call logs, an amount the family could not afford.
They further alleged that the Investigating Police Officer, Udofia Kufure, collected ₦100,000 for arrest operations after receiving information about a possible argument before the killing. Despite this, no arrests were made.
Dissatisfied with the handling of the case, the family reported the matter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Muyiwa Adejobi. He reportedly intervened and transferred aspects of the case back to the State Command following complaints of negligence and inaction.
The family said they identified a hotel connected to the incident and informed the Homicide Department as directed by DCP Adejobi, but no officer visited the scene to obtain CCTV footage that could aid the investigation.
DCP Adejobi could not be reached for updates as the family also accused the head of the Homicide Department of failing to act on information provided and of poor supervision of subordinates, which they say stalled the probe.
The family alleged that other useful information pointing to possible suspects has been ignored by investigators, raising concerns of deliberate efforts to frustrate the case. They described the situation as abandonment of justice.
As Ezeji’s burial is set for this weekend in his hometown in Imo State, relatives say they are devastated that his killers may never be brought to justice. He left behind a pregnant wife and was expecting his first child before his death.
The family fears that the burial will feel like a victory for armed groups in Kwale, reinforcing the belief that parts of Delta operate outside the law, where security is allegedly bought rather than guaranteed.
The case has sparked broader concerns over insecurity in Kwale and other parts of Delta State, with residents questioning the commitment of law enforcement to protecting lives and ensuring justice. The family asked whether the Delta Police run a “cash and carry” system where protection goes to the highest bidder.