Rights group petitions police over birthday party road block attack

A human rights organisation, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, has petitioned the Enugu State Police Command over what it described as a “grave incident of threat to life, attempted murder, and unlawful obstruction of a public road” in the Airport Layout Extension area of Thinkers Corner, Enugu.

In a petition dated 16 December 2025 and addressed to the Commissioner of Police, RULAAC said the incident occurred on the night of 15 December 2025 and involved a couple (names withheld).

The organisation said it was acting on behalf of Olu Omotayo, President of the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network.

According to the petition, Omotayo was returning from work around 7:37 pm when his wife called to inform him that a public access road leading to their residence had been completely blocked.

Chairs, canopies and vehicles were placed across the road to host a birthday party for a one-year-old child, thereby obstructing vehicular movement and denying residents access to their homes,” RULAAC stated.

Unable to reach his house by car, Omotayo reportedly parked his vehicle behind his wife’s car about one kilometre away and trekked home. However, at 9:18 pm, he returned to move the vehicles to avoid vandalism.

The group added that it was during his return that the situation allegedly escalated.

RULAAC quoted Omotayo as saying that while he stepped aside to allow an oncoming vehicle to pass on the narrowed road, the father of the one-year-old child, driving a white Toyota Camry, approached from behind and began shouting threats.

“Oga, get away from that place or I get you crushed and dump you at the hospital,” Omotayo quoted the father as saying.

The petitioner said Omotayo tried to explain that he was only making way for an oncoming vehicle due to the congestion caused by indiscriminate parking for the party. Instead of calming the situation, the occupants of the Camry allegedly “rained insults and curses on him and appeared ready to attack him physically.”

RULAAC said it was only the intervention of other party guests that temporarily defused the confrontation.

However, moments later, the situation allegedly became more dangerous.

“As he reversed to give way to the oncoming vehicle, he suddenly accelerated aggressively towards Mr Omotayo in a manner that suggested a deliberate attempt to crush him,” the petition stated.

Omotayo said he narrowly escaped death by jumping into a roadside gutter.

But for his vigilance and quick reflexes, our client would have been killed,” RULAAC added.

The incident was reportedly reported to the chairman of the estate at about 9:24 pm.

Describing the matter as extremely serious, RULAAC said the alleged act amounted to a direct violation of the constitutional right to life.

“The deliberate attempt to knock down a citizen with a motor vehicle constitutes a serious criminal offence and an extreme violation of the right to life guaranteed under Section 33 of the Constitution,” the organisation said.

It also condemned the blocking of the public road, noting that it infringed on residents’ freedom of movement under Section 41 of the Constitution.

“No individual or group has the lawful authority to deny citizens access to their homes or to convert public roads to private use,” RULAAC stated, adding that the Enugu State Government had repeatedly prohibited such practices because of the security risks they posed.

The organisation further alleged that the couple involved were “notorious for rights-violating conduct in the area, often acting with the backing of associates, thereby creating fear and insecurity among residents.”

In its petition, signed by the Executive Director of RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, the group called on the police to act without delay.

“We respectfully but firmly call on the Enugu State Police Command to immediately invite and investigate the couple and any other persons involved,” the petition read.

RULAAC also demanded “a thorough, impartial and professional investigation,” prosecution of anyone found culpable, and concrete steps to guarantee the safety of Omotayo and his family.”

“We trust in your office’s commitment to professionalism, public safety and the protection of citizens’ rights,” the group said, urging the police to intervene urgently “to ensure justice and avert a possible escalation of this matter.”

As of the time of filing this report, the Enugu State Police Command had not issued an official response to the petition.

culled from punch .