As they bury 3 persons at ASABA Cemetery
By Chukwudi Ebele
The Hausa Community resident at Km 1 Asaba – Benin expressway Oshimili South Local Government Area, where armed thugs invaded on Monday and killed three Hausa Men and injured 15 persons has demanded 3 Billion naira compensation from Delta State Government urging security agencies to bring the murderers to book.
The Chairman of Abraka Hausa Quarters Asaba Alhaji Auwalu Dalhatu, flanked by Nasiru Dambaba and other leaders appealed for the compensation yesterday shortly after the burial of three Hausa Men killed by Land Grabbers over a Land dispute.
Addressing newsmen, Alhaji Auwalu Dalhatu named Muhammed Multala(Unmarried), Kabiru Abdullahi (married), Yahaya (married ), all in their early 20’s as those killed during the attack.
According to Dalhatu, I saw Jerry Nkeweshe inside one the cars that dreadful Monday afternoon and his Contract killers led by a man who introduced himself to us on Friday as Fire Muller. They Blocked the gate of the compound, blocked part of the expressway under the pedestrian bridge and started shooting with their pump action guns, causing traffic jam for about 2 hours but the B Division police who promised to protect us locked their gate, even when some of us ran to the police station to seek refuge they refused us entry.
“Jerry Nkeweshe and his men planned to slaughter everyone of us numbering over 200 and to demolish the whole buildings here. They vandalized many shops carting away goods, provisions and cash belonging to my Hausa brothers and sisters.
“No single policeman came out to help us despite promising to protect us.
“We need back up, protection. Our lives are in danger because we don’t know the next step Jerry Nkeweshe and his Contract killers could take. They can come and frame another allegation against us.
We don’t want problems, we are simply tenants of Mr Kingsley Ijebuonwu who we know as our landlord for many years now. We have the photocopies of the judgement he has obtained over this property although the matter is still in court.
“Secondly, we need Delta State Government to give justice over the murder of three of our brothers.
Thirdly, we need compensation. For instance, Late Mohammed is the only son of his parents and the breadwinner of his poor parents living in Bauchi State. How are his parents going to survive this harsh economic situation in the country?
“Government should help by consoling the family of the deceased financially. Even if Government bring 1 billion naira for each bereaved family it cannot replace the life of a dead person. They should also contact us so that we would tell them the proper channel that would ensure the money reaches the family of the deceased.
“Also, about 15 of them who were injured need to be compensated. Most of them are no longer able to fend for themselves, some are still in the hospital and we have been doing contributions spending money for their treatment and feeding since Monday afternoon when the unfortunate incident occurred. Some are in St Joseph hospital, St Rebecca hospital, General hospital, ASABA. Some have been transported back to village for other forms of treatment.
“Arewa Community, State Director DSS,Awari Tukur Galadima, Muntari S.A. to Delta State Governor were with us at the Asaba cemetery for the burial.
“The police disappointed us, they gave us false hope. Both the DPO and the Area Commander up till now, they have not stepped their feet here despite informing them ahead of time about the threat to our lives. They did not come before, during the attack and even after the incident. The only thing police gave me was medical report which they gave me at the police station, because hospitals refused to attend to the victims without medical report.
My Army brothers were saying why didn’t we call them we told them that the police assured us that they would send back up should Jerry Nkeweshe and his cohorts come back to make true their threats but the police betrayed us by locking us out even why some of us came appealing to them for help during the unfortunate incident.
According to Nasiru Dambaba another Arewa Community leader who was present when Jerry Nkeweshe’s boys came on Friday, Fire Muller introduced himself saying :” I Commander Fire Muller has been paid by Jerry Nkeweshe to eject you tenants between Friday and Monday. If I come back on Monday and see any single person here I will shoot the person”.
Hearing this threat we called for emergency meeting with the help of the Head of Hausa Community Abraka Quarters Asaba Alhaji Auwalu Dalhatu. We reported officially to Commissioner of Police Delta State, Area Command and the DPO Division B police station. The DPO said he would send two patrol vehicles by 6am Monday but police never showed up. When the armed thugs and Vigilantes invaded our compound some of us ran to call the police but DPO locked the gate instructing the police never to come for our rescue or to open gate to allow anyone take shelter or cover inside B Division police station during the mayhem.
“Danjuma, Abdullahi here are brothers of those murdered by Jerry Nkeweshe’s Death contractors,” he added.
Moreover, the Caretaker of the KM 1 Asaba -Benin Expressway property, CEO Willval Agency Ltd, Chief Wilfred Egwuonwu said that this was not the first time land Grabbers from Delta State have been invading the land to take over the property saying that some years back the hotel building in that property was demolished by land Grabbers. He said that the property rightfully belongs to Mr Kingsley Ijebuonwu who inherited the place from his own father with all documents intact.
Moreso, the police had earlier announced a manhunt for Nkeweshe and others alleged to have led an armed group that attacked the community on November 24.
Confirming the incident, the Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, said investigations were ongoing and that suspects were being sought in connection with the attack.
However, in a response issued through Jerry Nkeweshe’s lawyer, Kelechi Nnadi, on Wednesday, Nkeweshe denied any involvement in the incident and described the police statement declaring him ‘Wanted ‘as inaccurate and harmful to his reputation.
Nnadi claimed that, his client was not in Okwe or anywhere around Asaba at the time of the attack. He said Nkeweshe travelled to Umunede earlier that morning for medical attention and remained there throughout the day in the company of witnesses.
