ALL was gloomy yesterday as the remains of a tricycle
operator, Nasir Adamu, was moved to the Gudu Cemetery in Abuja for burial.
Adamu, 33, who was a Keke Napep
rider at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was shot in the stomach. He died
at about 1 am.
He was part of the victims who died
following last Thursday’s Apo killings that drew a big outrage against security
agents, who claimed that they were terrorists.
He is survived by his wife, Mayya
and a daughter.
According to the late Adamu’s
brother, Suleiman Adamu, he hailed from Moriki village in Zurumi Local
Government Area of Zamfara State.
Speaking at the Asokoro General
Hospital morgue yesterday, Suleiman said his brother bought Keke Napep two
weeks before the incident after he had sold okro for a long time at the Garki
modern market.
Hon. Amiru Tukur Idris, representing
Timbakwu Federal Constituency, Katsina State, described the situation as
“undemocratic and illegal”.
He said the House had petitioned
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar, Chief of Army Staff (COAS)
Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, Chief of Defence Staff, Rear Admiral Sa’ad Ola
Ibrahim and human rights organisations.
The lawmaker said he lost about four
people in the attack, adding that the Army general, who claims to own the
building where the incident occurred, visited the Asokoro General Hospital last
Friday and was willing to foot the survivors’ hospital bills.
“In fact, we are having a meeting
today with four other House members and a Senator from Zamfara State to know
the next line of action.
“The chairman of Tricycle
Association identified them as his own people. He said they are not hooligans.
They have their own jobs too. They are hustlers,” Idris added.
Hon. Biliaminu Shinkafi,
representing Zurma Shinkafi Federal Constituency, spoke also of plans to
present the case before the National Assembly.
Human rights activist Shehu Sani
described the killings as “arbitrary and extra-judicial”. He said there was
need to call the consciousness of the public to the incident to forestall a
reccurrence.
“I am here to condole with the
family and help to take the deceased home in solidarity with the victims of the
dastardly act of the security agencies. What has happened is nothing but
extra-judicial killings. It is one of the arbitrariness and brigandage by
security agents. For the past three years, fighting insurgency has become an
excuse for killings of innocent citizens,” Sani said.
A survivor, Yusuf Abubakar, stated
that there were over 200 persons sleeping in the uncompleted building. He said
about 18 of them were killed when the security agents came in the night,
surrounded the building and started shooting them.
He said he narrowly escaped when a
friend was shot and fell where he was lying down .
According to him, there are about 13
people admitted into the Asokoro General Hospital. But Adamu died around 1am.
He lamented that he suffered a
fracture and the bullet in his hand was yet to be removed. He said the doctor
had been taking good care of them.
Abubakar recalled that the owner of
the building threatened the squatters.
“He spoke on Wednesday; on Thursday
in the mid-night, soldiers surrounded the house and began to shoot. There were
more than 200 people sleeping in the house. So, as they began to shoot, people
started running. Those who ran were shot and killed. They killed about 18
people. One died around 1am (last night). There is another person admitted to
Wuse General Hospital.”
Speaking on how he escaped, Abubakar
said: “Anyone who stood during the shooting fell and died, so as I was trying
to escape, I fell and the bullet hit my hand. I was wearing a white shirt when
it happened. So, I jumped into a water basin. The person who was running after
me was shot and he fell on me; so the soldier did not see me.”
Asked if he knew the number of
soldiers, he said he could not but they were many.
He urged the doctors to attend to
him.
A lawyer, Mr. Sanusi Musa, spoke of
plans to begin a legal action before the end of the week. Musa accused the
military of taking advantage of insecurity in the country to kill the victims
unjustly.
He said: “These people have briefed
us and we are taking up there case. They are now our clients. We intend to
institute an action on their behalf to seek redress for the injustice done to
them by whoever it is.
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Society
Sorry 4the life wested bt the snake that always bites us used its tail & tuch U,& U ar complaining biterly
ReplyDeleteAm confuse I though they saw them wit weapon
ReplyDeleteAlh jinjiri Abubakar remember lives and property of Nigerians protections are on you and the Almighty Allah is going ask you on it.If you are not receiving cooparation from this government drop their job and think about your god .
ReplyDelete