We shall keep seeking justice-activist
The management of Premiere Academy has urged the public to disregard the blackmail launched against it by an activist, Lemmy Ughegbe, following the death of a student of the school, Miss Keren Akpagher, who passed away in the custody of her mother last June.
Reacting to a statement by the activist, purporting ‘a threat to life, the head of communication of the school, Mr. Dele Onakoya expressed worries on how a police invitation to shed light on claims on Keren’s death amounts to ‘a threat to life’.
Onakoya said: “Based on lies he told the public over the child’s death, the police similarly invited the school authorities to state our side of the story. We did not raise alarm and allege a threat to life. Instead, we honoured the invitation and provided a step-by-step account, with documented evidence, including Closed Circuit Television footage of Keren’s last days in the school, before her mother picked her up.
“We have since come to the painful conclusion that these people are not interested in unraveling the truth about Keren’s last days. We are concerned that someone, somewhere may be trying to hide something about the final days of Keren’s life, which were spent in the custody of her mother and not in Premiere Academy.’’
He added: “We are still astounded that a Type 1 diabetic child who left our premises hale and hearty with a normal blood glucose of 114 mg/dl had 48 hours later deteriorated to above 400mg/dl, become delirious and had to be rushed into emergency by her mother. A few hours later she was dead. We call on the public to cooperate with the police to unravel the truth behind the painful death of Keren.”
However, Ughegbe, who reacted to the school’s claim said: “The school filed a complaint of Defamation and Provocation by Lemmy Ughegbe and Mrs. Vivien Akpagher” and was invited by the state’s C.I.D. So, how can the school tell you that they were invited also? I was invited to their instance.
“Their prayers to the police is that they order me and the mother of late Keren-Happuch, Mrs. Vivien Vihimga Akphagher from seeking justice for Keren, alleging that we have defamed the school’s reputation in several publications. It is our submission that we have not and will not defame them. We shall keep seeking justice for Keren and working to ensure that the rapist is fished out and brought to justice. The road may be long, tortuous and lonely, but we remained unbowed and committed to supporting the police to find her killers. The question that should agitate your mind is why should anyone be offended by a rallying call for other well-meaning Nigerians to join in the search for Keren’s rapist-killer?”
