Pa Dagama Asemota

By Jethro Ibileke

A septuagenarian father, Pa Dagama Asemota, has appealed to the operatives of the homicide department of Edo State Police Command to fish out the killers of his son, Osagie Asemota.

Pa Asemota who made the call on Tuesday, said the deceased was gruesomely murdered by yet-to-be-identified gunmen in the presence of his cousin, Christian, on 30 March, 2023, at Ramat Park, Benin City, Edo State.

He further alleged that the killers of his son have threatened to also kill his nephew, Christian Asemota, wherever they could find him.

According to him, “After the shooting to death of my biological son, Osagie, the same people who murdered him keep calling me, threatening to kill my brother’s son and wife anytime and anywhere they see him in Nigeria.

“Christian is like a son to me. I cannot afford the death of another son. The police are yet to make any arrest following the killing of my son. The killers are still lurking around with fire in their eyes.”

Pa. Asemota lamented that his late son and his cousin, Christian, were linked to a shooting incident that took place at a polling center in Ogheghe, in Benin, on 25 February 2023, during the national elections, which resulted in some deaths.

The distraught father disclosed that when he read the news in the papers, the thought that his son, Osagie, and nephew Christian had hands in the deed did not flash across his mind.

“They shot my, son Christian over his alleged involvement in the killings on election day at Ogheghe. After killing my son, they have been sending a series of threats to Christian’s life which made him flee from home. His whereabouts remain unknown at present.

“The hoodlums are threatening to kill him as they insist they will not relent until Christian is killed even though he has no hand in the matter. The Police had earlier declared him wanted over the incident on election day at Ogheghe before the killing of his cousin, Osagie.

“Christian is easygoing. He is scared of coming back as the suspected killers are still at large. The police should apprehend and bring to justice the suspected killers of my son,” he begged.

When contacted, the Edo State Police Command spokesman, SP Chidi Nwanbuzor, confirmed the killing of Osagie by some unknown gunmen.

He however said that investigations on the killing ran into a hitch following the transfer of the investigating Police Officer (IPO) to another State.

“I am aware of the killing but no arrest has been made so far. I can’t speak authoritatively on the matter because the Investigating Police Officer was affected by the recent nationwide transfer of police officers. The case has not been assigned to any officer for further investigation,” Nwabuzor said.

Pa Dagama Asemota, Homicide department , Edo State Police Command, Osagie Asemota,