By Moses John and Donald Iorchir
Hoodlums suspected to be vigilantes from the Kuje market yesterday attacked a mosque at Ungwar Kayarda, a community in Kuje area council, killing one and injuring five others.
An eyewitness told Blueprint that the hoodlums numbering over 20 attacked the mosque at about 4:45 am, when the worshippers gathered for prayers.
The eyewitness at the Ungwar Kayarda who preferred to be known as anonymous, for fear of attack said trouble started around 10pm yesterday when the vigilante group led by one Zuma attacked a gathering at a place called Majanlisa in the community with cutlasses, sticks and other weapons.
He said led to the dead of Mohammed Sani Adam after he was taken to Kuje General Hospital but latter transferred to University of Abuja Teaching Hospital.
“The trouble started at about 10pm when the vigilantes stormed the Majanlisa, a place where we gathered to drink green tea, and attacked us with cutlasses, sticks and other weapons. Some of us ran into neighbours’ houses for safety, but our brother, Mohammed Sani Adam, was beaten to coma, but later died at the hospital.
“We want justice over the death of Mohammad Sani Adam, and as well as Dauda Ali, Ishaku Ibrahim, Ibrahim Lebi, Mustapha Baban Mubarak, and Garba Falalu who are lying critical in the hospital.
“We want the police and other security operatives to bring to book the perpetrators of this carnage against humanity.”
When Blueprint visited the Kuje Muslims’ burial ground, lots of sympathisers were seen crying, described late Sani Adam as “a peace loving young man with promising future.”
One of the sympathisers, Muhammed Abdulkadir Maigari, who spoke with our correspondent in tears, said he had never seen such a number of people during burial ceremony of anyone, hence that underscore the nature of the late Sani Adam.
Maigari said after the attack on “Sunday night and we took Sani who later died to the hospital, we were at the mosque this morning and I was telling them about what happened, the said vigilante came again and attacked us, breaking all the windows.”
He said the police must step up their strategies in the defence and protection of lives and property, adding that the death of Sani Adam was shocking to all.
Meanwhile, the military, police and other security operatives have cordoned off the area to avert further breakdown of law and order.
However, sources at the Kuje Police Division told Blueprint that nine persons were arrested in connection to the attack.
The source said the situation was calm following the quick intervention of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) who drafted his boys to the scene of the crime.
Our correspondents also gathered that some of the suspects who were in police net are Ali who allegedly killed the victim, Mubarak, Dan Fulani and the chairman of the vigilantes, Musa.
