Amnesty International Nigeria has demanded justice over the 2008 extrajudicial killing of a 15-year-old boy, Emmanuel Egbo, by a policeman in Enugu State.

The human rights body also called on the authorities to disclose the whereabouts of Azuamaka Victor Maduamago, who went missing in police custody in Anambra State, also in 2008.

This is contained in separate statements published on Amnesty’s Facebook page.

Amnesty said Egbo was extrajudicially executed by a police officer in Enugu in September 2008 and falsely tagged an armed robber.

“According to eyewitnesses, he was playing with other children in front of his uncle’s house when a police officer stopped to chat to the children. Two other police officers joined him; one of them pulled out his gun and shot the boy, claiming he was an armed robber.

“Eyewitnesses confirmed Emmanuel was a child just playing with his peers.

“The NGO Civil Liberty Organisation wrote two petitions, and his relatives visited the police station numerous times.

“After several visits, the family found out that the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) had moved to a new post,” the statement reads in part.

Amnesty quoted Egbo’s family as saying, “The police officer told us that the boy was an armed robber and the case had been closed. It was a nightmare for us to learn of this development.”

It said that in August 2009, the family discovered that Egbo’s body had disappeared from the mortuary and had been missing since November 2009.

Amnesty said Azuamaka Victor Maduamago, 24, was arrested in Onitsha on August 20, 2008, and handed over to the notorious SARS Awkuzu, Anambra State.

It said Maduamago was denied access to a lawyer, medical care and was not allowed to see his family.

“On 25 August 2008, Amnesty International filed a petition against the police over the denial of his human rights.

“In October 2008, the family were informed that he had been transferred to Abuja, Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).

“FCID, however, denied that he was in their custody. To date, his whereabouts are unknown.

“All promises by the police to investigate his case were not fulfilled.” (Daily Sun)