Victim Of Mayhem Cries Out For Justice
THE last may not have been heard of the infamous November 18, 2019, mayhem in Kogi’s Ejule community during which Mrs. Salome Abuh, a politician, was burnt alive in her home by assailants.
Citizen Yakubu Ogwu, Abuja- based Estate Surveyor and indigene of Ejule Community in Ofu Local Council of Kogi State, relays his ordeal in the hands of armed gangs, who stormed his residence in Ejule on the eve of last year’s governorship election in the state and made away with cash and other belongings.
Two days after the election, his home was amongst houses set ablaze in Ejule. For him, it was a lucky escape as he left the village for Abuja immediately after casting his vote. His neighbour, PDP Women Leader in Ochadamu ward, Ejule, Mrs Salome Abuh, who also had her house burnt, was not as lucky as she was burnt alive.
The news of the brutal murder of Mrs Abuh, 60 and mother of four, came as a shock to many; even the United Nations condemned the killing. Following a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari by UN Deputy
Secretary, Aminat Muhammed, on November 24, 2019, to register the global body’s concerns, the president condemned and ordered “scrupulous investigation” of the heinous crime.
Angry Governor Yahaya Bello, who spoke through his spokesman, Kingsley Fanwo, had expressed disappointment over what was termed “mindless attacks by rival parties in Ochadamu”.
The governor went further to promise that culprits will be punished regardless of party affiliations.
“We feel disturbed at reports of violence in Ochadamu that has led to loss of lives and property in the community. It was reported that a supporter of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) was stabbed to death, while party members were jubilating over the outcome of the governorship election. The reprisal attack by alleged APC members, which led to the death of an innocent woman, is criminal and condemnable. Our government would not shield party members who break the laws of the land,” he said. But seven months after the incident, Nigerian police is still on the trail of the perpetrators. Days after the presidential riot act, six persons were reportedly arrested in connection with the murder and for robbery. Since the arrests, it seems still a long way to justice for the Abuhs and other living victims of the mayhem.
It will be recalled that Police Public Relations Officer ( PPRO), Mr William Anya, a Deputy Police Superintendent, while noting that the killing of Mrs Abu was as a result of reprisal attack after an initial clash between supporters of two political parties, had said that three other houses were burnt in the neighbourhood, but it was unclear whether there were additional casualties from those attacks.
One of the living victims, Yakubu
Ogwu, tells his story: “I got to the village on November 15, 2019, a day before the election. Barely 25 to 30 minutes after I arrived the village, two cars drove and parked directly where we were seated in front of my house. Normally, whenever I come to the village, the boys will chant, ‘ leader, leader! Here comes the leader.’ They would come around and I give them food and drinks. I am not under any task, I am an estate surveyor practicing and I feel I am not burdened by questions of dividends of democracy.”
He continued: “Early in life, I started by helping parents, who could not afford to send their wards to higher institutions. So, through that, my popularity soared; I became a relying point for the town ( Ejule). It has always been that in any election, if I come home and I said this is the candidate I support, the boys that are loyal will follow my steps. I never went to the village for any election campaign; I was just ready to go home to exercise my franchise.
“So, like I was saying, himself,” he said, pointing to a young man to his right, “and two of my older brothers, we drove home from Abuja on the eve of last year’s governorship election, sat outside in the compound on plastic chairs. Barely 30 minutes later, the two cars came. One of the occupants said, ‘ this is him!’ One of them with a gun came and held me by my belt; he slapped me, collected my wallet with a thousand dollars and N77, 000. One pushed me towards the entrance door, ordered everybody, including my cousin and his father, to lie down on their face. Someone was inside, but so terrified that he locked the door from inside. I was calling him to open the door for them. They banged and kicked the door until they were able to force the security door open. “They moved me inside and started shouting, ‘ where is the money you brought home to give to people?’ I told them there’s no money anywhere. The yelled at me, ‘ you cannot come from Abuja to the village to tell us there is no money anywhere.’ As we were talking, they moved me into my bedroom. They saw my bag, turned it and then picked the N250, 000 from there. They pushed me to the sitting room and on their way out, they started breaking the chandeliers in the house. Their next target was the car, the forerunner that we came with to the village.
They got into the forerunner and started the engine, but the problem they had was they were not used to that type of car. The car would not move, so, they broke all the window glasses and windscreen and abandoned it. People, who heard the sound of gunshots in my house, started throwing stones over my fence into the compound. So, when they saw this, they left that day.”
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