The Kaduna State Media Corporation is still in mourning over the killing of the spokesman of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, otherwise known as the Shi’ite sect, Ibrahim Usman.
Usman reportedly worked at the KSMC until the Army crackdown on the sect penultimate Saturday in Zaria, Kaduna State, which claimed the lives of prominent members of the Shi’ite sect, including its leader Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky’s deputy, Turi Mohammed; El-Zakzaky’s son, Sayyid, and his wife, Zeenat Ibraheem; Usman, among others.
This followed an alleged attack by members of the Shi’ite on the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, who was said to have been on his way to attend the passing out parade of the 73 Regular Recruit Intake of the Depot Nigerian Army.
Usman had, in a chat a day before he was killed reacted to the allegation by the Army that the leader of the Shi’ite sect had ordered that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai be assassinated.
He had said, “Mallam did not order anybody to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai. It’s a blatant lie. We (were) supposed to have a programme at the time the Army Chief’s convoy came. We always ensure free-flow of traffic. Even when the shooting started, the COAS had already gone. For them (Army) to say that Sheikh ordered to kill the COAS is a lie.”
Following the controversial death of Usman, his friends took to social media to recount their last encounters with him.
On Facebook, Midat Joe said, “Couldn’t sleep yesterday. Thinking of my friend, Ibrahim Usman, the spokesman of Shia and former Chief Press Secretary to the wife of our former gov. He was brutally murdered by soldiers in Zaria, Sunday afternoon. I called Ibrahim on the phone (on) Sunday morning to confirm the whereabouts of their leader Sheikh Zakzaky.
“In his usual manner, Ibrahim laughed and said to me, ‘Midat, I am about leaving my house in Kaduna to Zaria to get first-hand information and when I find out his whereabouts, I will call you.’ I said, ‘Okay my brother, but be careful, Ibrahim, because life is very precious.’ I never received his call, only to read later that soldiers killed him alongside other persons that were taken refuge in Sheikh Zakzaky’s house.”
Similarly, Reuben Buhari shared Usman’s photo with a caption that read, “He was a jolly good fellow, a journalist, a social worker and a proud Shi’ite who left Kaduna to go to Zaria so as to have first-hand information on the issue between the military and the Shi’ites. He never came back alive. We mourn you.”
Also, Femi Adi, The News Correspondent, Kaduna, narrated his last conversation with the IMN’s spokesman, saying, “30 minutes before he was killed, I spoke with him to know what was happening at the Shi’ite leader’s residence; and he promised to get back to me. Little did I know that would be the last encounter with him.
“Even though, we were told that he was prevailed upon not to go to Zaria that morning, he still went. He insisted that he would see Mallam (El-Zakzaky) to ensure that he was safe and sound. This singular act showed that he was committed to the brotherhood.
“Usman was a thorough and committed journalist, who knew his unions. As the spokesman of the Shi’ite sect, he was never a propagandist. He would give you the facts about any issue relating to the Shi’ite sect. As a professional, once he missed a colleague’s call, he would respond by calling back immediately.
“When I called him back after about 30 minutes, precisely 9.30 am on Sunday, the phone rang only for someone else to pick and announce that Ibrahim was dead. It is unfortunate that such a brilliant brain would be lost to an avoidable incident like that.”
Since his death was made public, colleagues at the KSMC described Usman as highly intelligent and of good character.
One of them, Jacob Zango siad, “We were in the same organisation before he was seconded to the Ministry of Finance. He was also a consultant to the World Bank. All that I can say right now about the deceased is that he was committed to his job. He was a good and highly intelligent editor.
He was so free with anybody he came into contact with and that is why I said earlier that some of us were shocked that he was killed in the clash between the Shi’ite sect and the Army. Ibrahim was equally generous and always carried others along.”
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