Abuja, Nigeria – May 8, 2025 — Valentine Oyemike, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and owner of Valchi VFK Oriental Service Ltd, has filed a fundamental human rights lawsuit against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and other parties over alleged unlawful actions taken during the investigation into the death of his employee, Fidelis Osaghae.
Oyemike filed the suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja on behalf of himself and two employees — Owiku Tracy and Cyprian Saamoyal — citing violations of their constitutional rights. The respondents listed in the suit include IGP Kayode Egbetokun, the Deputy IGP at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja, Assistant Superintendent of Police Adelogba Femi, and Esther Osaghae, widow of the deceased.
Manager’s Death Under Scrutiny
Fidelis Osaghae, 33, was the branch manager of a restaurant and bar owned by Oyemike in Auchi, Edo State. He died on July 29, 2024, at the workplace under circumstances that remain unclear. According to his wife, Esther, Osaghae left home early that morning and never returned. Hours later, she was summoned to Favour Hospital, where she was taken to the mortuary and shown his lifeless body.
Esther said she was told by Oyemike that her husband had consumed Sniper, a chemical substance commonly associated with suicide. However, she disputed the claim, saying her husband had no known history of depression and that the couple had just welcomed a baby two months prior.
“I’m not saying Oyemike killed my husband,” she said. “But my husband died at his place of work with marks on his body. I just want to know the truth about his death.”
Legal Demands
In the suit, Oyemike is seeking:
- A perpetual injunction preventing the police and Esther Osaghae from further detaining, harassing, or intimidating him and his staff;
- A declaration that the rejection of a counter-petition and the initial autopsy report by the police was unconstitutional and lacked fair hearing;
- A public apology from ASP Femi and Esther Osaghae in two national newspapers;
- ₦1 billion in general damages for the alleged violation of their rights to dignity, liberty, movement, and private life under the Nigerian Constitution.
Autopsy Dispute and Fresh Probe
Oyemike has maintained that the original autopsy confirmed Osaghae’s death was caused by ingestion of a toxic substance. However, human rights organizations, including the Akin Fadeyi Foundation (AFF), FIDA Nigeria, and Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), have questioned the credibility of the report, citing inconsistencies such as unexplained marks on the body and bloodstains on the deceased’s clothing.
Following public outcry, a coroner’s inquest ordered a fresh autopsy. Oyemike has challenged the order in court, asking that the original autopsy be upheld.
The human rights groups have accused the APC chieftain of attempting to frustrate the investigation, arguing that a second autopsy is essential and lawful, even if it requires exhuming the body.
The case is expected to proceed in the coming weeks as calls for justice and transparency continue to mount.
