Richard Elesho
Friends, neighbours, and family members of Aminu Lawal, a fresh graduate who was murdered in Lokoja last week, have cried out for justice, expressing worries that an arrested suspect in the matter might be set free due to alleged pressure on the law enforcement agencies from certain quarters.
Aminu, who was said to have recently graduated from the University of Maiduguri and was awaiting call-up for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), was briefly discovered missing on Wednesday, 18th March. He had left home in Otokiti Estate to hassle in his luggage tricycle, popularly called Keke NAPEP, that morning but failed to return on schedule. His worried parents immediately raised the alarm and launched a frantic search for his whereabouts.
Their worst fears were confirmed when he was found dead the following day, Thursday. His charred remains were discovered in an isolated bush path opposite the Central Bank, Zone 8 area in the state capital. After smashing his head with a heavy object, his attacker proceeded to sever a left side vein on his neck. His tricycle was not found.
The goury discovery plunged the family and entire neighbourhood into mourning. The body was promptly recovered and buried according to Islamic rites of passage.
Things took a new dimension when an independent community-led investigation indicted one Garuba, an acquaintance and resident of the same Otokiti Estate, described as one of the last callers of the deceased.
Further probes led to the arrest of Garuba from his abode on Wednesday, 25th March, by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp, NSCDC. He was said to have been detained in their office before the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department, SCID.
An anonymous source familiar with the story said pressures are being mounted to secure the release of the suspect. “We are appealing that this case should not be swept under the carpet.
“Aminu trained himself successfully through school in faraway Maiduguri. Despite the security challenges in that axis, he completed his studies only to be murdered at home. The least we can do is to find and punish his murderers. We demand a proper and timely probe that will bring anyone involved to the law.”
Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in the state, Hafzatt Oyiza, Salihu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, assured of detailed investigations of the case. She said the outcome of the investigations would be made public.
“We are still investigating the case and the Keke NAPEP. We will probe it to a logical conclusion.” Oyiza said, promising to give details soon as they are ready.
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