By Godwin Tyonongu
Authorities of the Nigeria police, Masaka Division in Nasarawa state, have confirmed the brutal murder of a mechanical engineer, one Odeh Valantine Francis, a resident of Masaka who was shot last Sunday night by some unknown gunmen along Area 1 – Luvu Road, Masaka.
Confirming the incident to Blueprint yesterday in his office, the Divisional police officer (DPO) Masaka, Dauda Mamman, said eyewitness account indicated that the deceased met his waterloo after being trailed by the gunmen from the popular Area 1 Junction Masaka where he boarded a motorcycle and was heading towards the Luvu axis.
Investigation showed that the deceased had a stop-over at a roadside kiosk to buy a GSM recharge card when the incident occurred.
He said: “We have scanty information about him but all we gathered so far is that, they trailed him to the place he stopped to buy a recharge card and once they shot him, they climbed their motorcycle and left.
“It is either they purposely shot him or he was being mistaken for a different person. But they shot him alone not even the okada rider. No arrest has been made yet. We are still investigating the incident.”
When Blueprint visited the scene of the incidence, the place was deserted apparently for fear of any possible random arrest by the security agents. Residents refused to volunteer information. The place is usually crowded in the evenings with food vendors, the popular mai shai sellers and petty traders. But on our visit, they had all gone.
The DPO recalled two previous homicide cases: one, involving a Julius Berger driver and Okada man. The driver had hit an Okada rider and the motorcyclist swooped on him and he was lynched. He said the case was still with the state CID.
He cited another case that occurred at the Luvu slum where because a tipper driver hit someone, the Okada riders took the law into their hands by taking his life.
Mamman, however, told Blueprint that since he took over as the DPO of Masaka, he held a meeting with their leadership and that they had resolved to stop killing people because of accident.
“They always arrest offences and bring to the police since I took over.”
He appealed to the concerned authorities to consider establishing a new police station at Luvu Area to help in beefing up security.
Meanwhile, residents have been urged to be more security conscious this time and report any suspicious character within their domain to the police.
