According to Punch Newspaper, A tragic incident in Delta State has continued to stir pain and demand for justice, following the killing of Comfort Udoh, a woman who lost her life at the hands of a police officer allegedly under the influence of alcohol. The events unfolded when Comfort and her husband, Pastor Godwin Udoh, were returning from church. What should have been an ordinary journey home quickly turned into a nightmare, marked by gunfire at a police checkpoint. Pastor Udoh recounts that there were four police officers at the checkpoint. While one officer waved them on, acknowledging they were returning from a religious service, another officer, reportedly drunk, had already prepared his rifle to fire. The moment escalated without warning, resulting in a gunshot that killed Comfort and left her husband injured.
The checkpoint where the shooting occurred had become notorious among residents for extortion and irregular behavior by officers. On that fateful day, the officer demanded a N2,000 bribe from Pastor Udoh, which he declined to pay. According to his account, this refusal triggered the violent response. The officer, whose behavior was described as erratic, allegedly had his rifle cocked and ready, even before any conflict ensued. The aftermath was devastating. A bullet tore through Comfort, killing her on the spot, and struck Pastor Udoh, causing injuries he still suffers from today. The shock of the shooting, combined with the loss of his wife, has left an indelible mark on his life.
In the days that followed, the pastor’s hope for justice became a long and agonizing wait. While the officer who fired the shot was briefly detained, efforts to prosecute him have stagnated. Investigations were launched but have not led to a resolution. Authorities cited internal procedures and pending inquiries as reasons for the delay. Yet, for Pastor Udoh, each passing day without accountability deepens the wound. The lack of action by the police force and judicial system has caused him to feel abandoned in his search for justice. His injuries have also required medical treatment, with financial burdens compounding his grief.
Members of the Full Gospel Church of God where Pastor Udoh ministers have shown support in the aftermath, offering prayers and financial assistance. Despite this, the impact of the killing remains raw. Church members and local residents describe the incident as a blatant case of abuse of power. They say it reflects a broader issue of police misconduct and the misuse of firearms by officers who are not properly monitored. Testimonies from others who frequent the same road where the checkpoint was located suggest that harassment and extortion were not uncommon. For many, the killing of Comfort is not an isolated incident, but rather a symbol of the growing impunity within law enforcement.
Pastor Udoh, who still bears the physical and emotional scars of the attack, has attempted to follow legal channels to seek redress. He has reached out to several human rights organizations and legal bodies in the hope of reigniting interest in the case. His calls have often gone unanswered or been caught in bureaucratic delays. Repeated visits to the police command and other relevant offices have yielded limited results. The family’s lawyer has expressed frustration over the slow pace of the case, noting that despite evidence and eyewitnesses, proceedings have stalled. The officer responsible remains unpunished, and no trial date has been firmly set.
He said: There were four policemen stationed at the checkpoint, One of them told us to leave since we were coming from church, We didn’t know that the policeman who demanded N2,000 bribe had already cocked his gun and was ready to shoot at us.
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