I rejected N5m condolence gift, says mum who accused governor’s security of killing son

Victoria Mba, mother of 22-year-old Moses Mba, says she rejected N5 million after her son was allegedly killed by police officers guarding the residence of Bassey Otu, governor of Cross River.

Moses, her first son, was shot on August 1 after he attempted to see the governor in Calabar, claiming he had a message from God.

His mother said security operatives accosted him at the gate, beat him up, and shot him in the leg.

He died eight days later at the Naval Reference Hospital.

Punch reports Mba as saying that government representatives visited her home on Thursday with a N5 million offer.

“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.

The bereaved accused security operatives of trying to cover up the killing.

She said plainclothes officers were stationed at her son’s hospital ward until his death and that the family has insisted on an autopsy.

“They think we are stupid. They think they can silence me with money. My son was my first child, my pride, the one his siblings looked up to. They have taken him away and tried to cover it up. I will not be silenced,” she said.

She also demanded the arrest of all security operatives involved.

On August 30, Mba told NAN that she and her husband were in Abia state when the incident occurred, adding that it was an official of the Red Cross Society who informed them that their son had been rushed to the hospital.

The Cross River government has, however, denied the allegation.

Erasmus Ekpang, commissioner for information, told NAN that the incident did not occur at the governor’s official residence but at his “former house”.

Ekpang also alleged that Moses had mental health challenges and threw stones at a police officer before he was shot.