Leaderships of Abuja Newspapers Distributors Association (ANDA) and Newspapers Vendors Association, Abuja (NVAA) have disowned letter written by the family of Ifeanyi Elechi through Chief Mike Okezohme (SAN), to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, requesting for an N500m compensation within seven days or face litigation.
Ifeanyi, an Abuja based newspapers vendor was killed by a DSS officer attached to the speaker on Thursday, last week in the course of vending for his daily bread.
The leaderships in a statement jointly signed by Comr. Benji Obute, President of the ANDA and Comr. Etim Iwara, Chairman, NVAA on Tuesday disown the letter in its entirety; adding that they were neither consulted nor ordered anybody to write and send such a letter to the Speaker on their behalf.
The statement read: “In the said letter, Mr. Mike asked the speaker to protect vendors, that they had been afraid of going back to the streets to vend newspapers since after the incident.
“We wish to disown the letter in its entirety; we were neither consulted nor ordered anybody to write and send such letter to the speaker on our behalf.
“In as much as we cannot decide for Ifeanyi’s family what they want in place of their slain son, we strongly object to the use of our name in the letter. We are not at war with anybody or agency and not afraid of going to the streets.
“At our level, we are engaging the speaker and his team, and having fruitful discussions aimed at getting adequate compensation for the family.
“We do not encourage and support any aggressive approach since the speaker has taken responsibility and doing everything within his powers to alleviate the pains of the family and all those associated with the slain Ifeanyi.
“We enjoin the family to tow the path of dialogue and have this issue resolved amicably as needless legal approach and media trial won’t yield the needed fruit.”
