On December 26, 2005, the Nigerian community in Irvington, New Jersey was reeling over the tragic death of a young Nigerian-American, which many believed was a result of the incompetence of Irvington and New Jersey state police.

Arinze Ojinaka, a college student, was reportedly on his way home from work at the United Parcel Service (UPS) when he had an accident. That was what his parents and the police thought, at least, happened. But when Arinze had gone missing for days, the incident became shrouded in controversy, denial, police incompetence and racism.

According to the initial police report, someone abandoned Arinze’s car in a ditch and the police went to tow it. But Arinze’s father, Clement “Africa” Ojinnaka – a New Jersey socialite – told African Abroad that someone had made a 911 call regarding the accident.

In a surprising statement, however, Irvington police said that when they arrived at the accident scene, they only found a car with no person inside. Members of the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) also reported that no one was injured and then left the accident scene.

But when Clement went to the Irvington police to report his son missing, he said, the police told him that they wanted to arrest Arinze for abandoning his car on the highway; the police said that Arinze had fled to avoid arrest.

Five days later, Clement went back to the accident scene and found his son dead in the ditch, about 10 to 15 feet from where the accident took place.

Clement told African Abroad that he is now seeking answers to why the police went to the scene, towed the car from the accident scene and left his son – perhaps still alive – without noticing him. Also, Clement wanted to know why this discovery was made only five days after the accident.

“What happened to my son, I don’t want that to happen to anybody whatever the color of their skin. I am demanding answers from the Irvington and