A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has been shot dead by a stray bullet from a Mobile policeman in Ladipo area of Oshodi, Lagos.
There were, however, different accounts as to how the deceased, Daudu Waliu, was sent to an unprepared grave.
A version of the account said that the father of four, who was into rentals, had gone to pack some chairs he rented to the Celestial Church of Christ, Oshodi Parish, on Olatunji Street at about 8 pm.
By the way, the church celebrated its annual harvest and extended its tents beyond the church’s premises, owing to the crowd that graced the occasion. As one of the dignitaries who came with a police escort was leaving the venue, some social miscreants otherwise called agbero, reportedly accosted him.
In the policeman’s bid to disperse the miscreants, eyewitnesses said he fired some shots, one of which hit Waliu in the head, killing him on the spot.
However, another version of the account said that Waliu was on his way to pack another set of chairs when the stray bullet from the venue of the church’s programme, hit him in front of his house, on Bello street.
When Vanguard arrived late Waliu’s residence on Bello Street, the bloodstain from the bullet that lodged into his head was still on the spot he slumped and died. But Vanguard observed that the spot he died was over a kilometre away from where the shot was fired.
Sympathisers thronged his abode to commiserate with his widow, Mrs. Yemi Daudu, who was seen crying. Sharing her last moment with her husband, the widow who was yet to come to term with the rude shock of her husband’s demise, said, “I was in the shop when I saw him on an Okada. He said he was going to pack his things, promising to be back. But he never came back. Rather, I got a call from someone who asked where I was. I told the person I was in the shop. “The caller asked where my husband was; I told her he had gone to work. She said I should call my husband to know where he was, that she had unpleasant information. I called my husband’s telephone number but the line didn’t go.”
“Almost immediately, I heard another person making calls in front of my shop. I heard the caller asking the person at the other end if it was that man that rented chairs. At that point, I became scared.
“I rushed outside and held the man by the shirt, asking what happened. He said we should go to the house. By the time I got home, I met my husband on the ground, dead.
At this point, sympathisers began to console her and requested that she kept quiet. But she continued, “my husband left me with four children. Tell me, where do I start? He had a great dream for their education. He assured them that he would give them the best of education within his financial limit. He was a quiet and easy-going man”.
Her children: Abeeb, 12; Basita , 9; Basit, 6 and Alim 2, came around their mother, weeping alongside.
In reactions to the incident, Vice-Chairman of the Oshodi-Isolo Local Government was among those who paid condolence visits on the widow. In an interview with Vanguard, he described the incident as unfortunate, saying, “We are here to pay condolence visit on late Waliu’s widow. The victim was a member of APC and also one of the stalwarts. He was one of the wards executives. Beyond that, as a citizen of this local government, we felt we should come to share in the family’s moment of grief.
“We learned that the Police have commenced an investigation into the incident. We will have to wait for the outcome of the investigation. The investigation is the reason why Waliu had not been buried. Because, as a Muslim, he ought to have been buried.
But we are still waiting for the police to get their facts. APC youths Reacting to the incident, APC Youths, in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government, condemned the policeman’s action, describing it as barbaric.
The party’s youths in a statement signed by Comrade AbdulRahman Ayuba said, “We totally condemn the barbaric and ungodly killing of one of us at Ladipo axis of Oshodi isolo Local Government. We, therefore, demand the immediate arrest of the perpetrator, in order for him to face the consequences of his action in the court of law.
“We are using this medium to appreciate all our members and the entire people of Oshodi particularly the people of Ladipo for their concerns and solidarity support since the period of the incident till this moment.
“While we allow the law enforcement agency to carry a proactive and speedy investigation on the incident, we implore all our members to remain calm and law-abiding.”
Also in its reaction, the Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence, CAIDOV, called on the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Muazu Zubairu, to unmask late Waliu’s killer cop. A statement signed by the Executive Director, CAIDOV, Comrade Gbenga Soloki, said, “the incident is unfortunate, wicked and pure murder. Unmasking the killer cop will bring succour to the family of the deceased as well serve as a deterrent to other policemen.”
The group in the statement also appealed to the police hierarchy to withdraw policemen attached to some prominent Nigerians, as well as carry out periodic checks of police escorts to ascertain whether they were serving policemen or miscreants who disguised as policemen. CCC Shepherd arrested.
Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered that the Sheppard of the Celestial Church of Christ, Superior Evangelist Alabi, had been arrested. Police sources hinted that his arrest formed part of an ongoing investigation into the incident.
“His arrest will also link us with the eminent Nigerian that came with the Police escort who allegedly fired the shot”, Police sources hinted. When Vanguard visited the church, its secretary who did not disclose his name referred this reporter to the Church’s headquarters at Ketu. He said, “I cannot speak on it because we have someone who can speak at the headquarters at Ketu. You can go and get answers to any question.”
Vanguard also gathered that the policeman who allegedly fired the shot that snuffed life out of the father of four had been arrested. Vanguard learned that he is attached to one of the Mobile Police squads. When contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Elkana Bala, said the investigation into the matter was ongoing. (Vanguard)
