The Cross River State chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called for a transparent and public investigation into the alleged extrajudicial killing of 22-year-old Moses Mba by policemen attached to the former residence of the Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu.
In a letter dated September 8, 2025, addressed to the Cross River State Commissioner of Police, the NBA voiced worry about Mba’s death on August 1, 2025, in Calabar’s State Housing area.
The preacher was allegedly shot by police officers stationed at Otu’s previous home when he asked to preach to the governor.
He died on August 9 at a hospital where he had been brought for treatment.
Mba’s murder aroused uproar in the community and on social media, forcing the family to seek justice and an investigation.
The Calabar NBA’s letter, signed by its Chairman, Enomes Amatey, read, “The NBA Calabar Branch, committed to its core mandate of upholding the rule of law, protecting human rights, and ensuring justice, is deeply troubled by the reported circumstances surrounding this incident.
“More worrisome is the fact that the Nigeria Police Force, which is saddled with the responsibility of protecting the lives and property of Nigerians, is now found at the ugly end of the incident.
“The association condemned alleged attempts to label the deceased as mentally ill, describing such moves as an ‘affront to his dignity and an apparent effort to subvert the truth and exculpate the officers responsible.”
It further stated that the association was resolved to ensure responsibility in the case, claiming that Mba’s death destroyed public trust in the police.
The association issued many demands, including an immediate, comprehensive, and impartial investigation into the incident, as well as safety for Mba’s mother, Victoria Mba.
