Solomon Yellowe

2019

Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Narrated by Anna Yellowe West, Solomon’s sister (October 14, 2020)

“Today my sisters Martha Yellowe Chindah and Anna Yellowe West took to the streets to demand justice for the senseless killing of our younger brother Solomon Yellowe who was murdered by SARS on the 13th of March 2019 in Portharcourt.

Solomon was a healthy twenty seven year old man and final year student at University of Portharcourt with no pre existing health condition. He was last seen on campus where he told two of his colleagues his intention of making an ATM cash withdrawal. Shortly after using the ATM he was picked up by SARS officers and never seen again.

The search for Solomon began when word reached us that he did not return from campus which was completely out of character for him. We searched every police station in Port Harcourt and environs. I personally went to SARS Rupkokwu twice where I was told no such person was in their custody. They denied ever arresting Solomon. My elder brother also went there severally as well as other family members but SARS operatives denied ever coming in contact with Solomon.

It was a tip from a detainee that told us the fate of our brother. He said Solomon had been killed shortly after arriving SARS police station and his body had been deposited at UPTH mortuary. On the 26th of April 2019 we found my brother Solomon’s lifeless body at the said UPTH mortuary. He was deposited there by one SAMUEL SUNDAY of SARS Rupkokwu, Port Harcourt.

Payment was made by us the family for investigation into the extra judicial killing of my brother to commence at Rivers State CID. An autopsy was carried out which determined that my brother had no gun shot wound but died from brain swelling. Till date we the family never received any information as regards the outcome of the investigations carried out by Rivers State CID.

My then seventy nine year old father and sister went to the force’s headquarters Abuja in order for an investigation to be carried out to determine what exactly happened to my brother. We were told we’d have to pay for a team of officers from Abuja to come down to Port Harcourt for investigation to commence.