When on April 6, 2013, Jane and Olusoji Elegbede got married in Lagos State, their joy knew no bounds.
Although Olusoji was a policeman serving
in Yobe State, which is fraught with security challenges, Jane did not
mind living there with him.
Their plan was to settle down, have children and grow old together.
Unfortunately, this was not to be as
Olusoji, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, was gunned down by a
police corporal in Gashua Bade Local Government, Yobe State, while on
duty less than five months after their wedding.
Olusoji’s widow, who spoke while fighting back tears, told PUNCH Metro that she was still in shock over the incident.
Narrating what led to her 39-year-old
husband’s killing, Jane said her husband, who was the Administration
Officer at Gashua Police Division, was killed by a 53-year-old corporal,
Andrew Bitus.
She said, “The station is situated in a
barracks and we all live in the barracks. The corporal (Bitus), was
dating an elderly woman and they had a quarrel. Bitus wanted to part
ways with the woman, so he told her to refund the money he had spent on
her but the woman refused.
“The corporal dragged the woman to the
station but the Divisional Police Officer intervened, saying it was a
civil case and told the corporal to take the matter to the court.
“The DPO travelled some days later, on August 30, 2013 to be precise. The corporal arrested the woman again.
“My husband, who was the most senior
officer in the station at the time, reiterated what the DPO said and
ordered the corporal to let the woman go.
“The corporal, instead, started
harassing the woman at the station. My husband then told other policemen
at the station to register a case against the corporal for his
behaviour.”
Jane said the corporal became infuriated and insulted her husband who was over 10 years younger than him.
She said in the ensuing argument, the corporal brought out his rifle and shot the deceased many times.
She said, “I was in my house when I
heard gunshots. Initially I thought it was Boko Haram members that were
attacking the station. It was a few minutes later that someone informed
me that my husband had been shot.
“When I got to the station, I was told
by policemen that the corporal brought out his gun and shot my husband
in front of the counter. My husband was said to have fled, but the
corporal chased him and rained bullets on him. I met my husband in a
pool of blood.
“When I asked why they could not stop
the trigger-happy policeman, they told me that they had to run for cover
for fear of being hit by the bullets.”
PUNCH Metro learnt that Olusoji
was rushed to the General Hospital, Gashua, and was taken to the theatre
where a surgery was done to remove the bullets from his body.
“The doctors told me that he survived
and was going to be taken to the Federal Medical Centre, however, they
later opened up to me that he died during the surgery,” she said.
Jane insisted that the corporal must be
brought to book, adding that her husband was not involved in any love
affair with the woman who was at the centre of the feud.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the
killer policeman had been dismissed and was being detained at the State
Criminal Investigation Department, Damaturu.
The unidentified woman, who was being harassed by the corporal, had also been arrested.
A cousin of the deceased, Kunle Bajela,
said apart from getting justice for the killing, the family wanted his
widow to be well taken care of by the police authorities.
“My cousin died in active service and we
want those who depended on him for their upkeep are not neglected by
the police,” he said.
The Force Public Relations Officer,
Frank Mba, told our correspondent on the telephone that he would call
later to brief him on the incident.
PUNCH
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Some of this northerners are animal. He could not kill d DPO bcos his a northerner too. If not an animal aw could he shoot a snr officer several times.Not only must he b dismissed, he must die by gun too. If not dis illegal shooting will continue. May his soul rest in peace. Amin
ReplyDeleteNa wa o a whole police station, no body was able to hold down d so called coporal. One man 4 dat mata, like say na boko haram com attack dat kind station unkoo, na I'm b say dem 4 level down d full station. Abeg FG should do something fast about the Niger police force.
ReplyDeletethis is a conspiracy to kill a Yoruba police officer in the north. these are BH in police uniform.
ReplyDeleteHere in the UK, other officers would not hesitate to gun him down immediately they find him pointing a gun at a colleague and a senior one for that matter.
ReplyDeleteThis is a serious slap on Nigeria. How could officers that are supposed to have undergone several training on defense techniques run for just one person by way of protecting their own lives. how then can they protect the lives and properties of the whole community where they are assigned to. Little wonder the robbers are not scared of the Nigerian police. what a tragedy. May his soul rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteRubbish Nigerian police. " They ran for cover for the fear of the bullets" wot a shame. Dos it mean that the other police men in dat station are not armed? Dis is a conspiracy to kill dat ASP. He should be hanged or we will start killing hausa police men here.
ReplyDeleteSo wat has dis got 2 do with northerner killing yoruba for God sake? u guys can b naive rly. Dis na purely woman matter and police irresponsibility dont u tink?
ReplyDeleteNaija POLICE FORCE! U Idiots are only active when U see an unarmed civilian. As Bitrus, Fulani herdsmen are killing U family and friends on a daily basis in Ur state(Plateau state). U shld have used that gun to track and kill these herdsmen, instead of the innocent olusoji. I believe U shld be killed by firing squad. Useless BURUKUTU & PITO DRUNKARD.
ReplyDeleteD man should b punished
ReplyDeleteThis should tell all of us how unsafe we are. If the police could not save their fellow officer in this type of situation, how do we expect them to save others? Na waa o!
ReplyDeleteAru!
ReplyDelete