into the murder of a 72-year-old man, Alhaji
Abdulkareem Kadiru, in Ijora Badia area of
Lagos State.
According to the police, the victim was
killed in error by an Oodua Peoples
Congress member, Ismaila Rahmon, who
was in charge of security at a school where a
Ramadan event took place.
Rahman allegedly killed the Alhaji with a
gun he seized from an armed robber but
failed to turn it over to the police.
EBB learnt that on August 4, 2013,
Rahmon and another OPC member,
identified simply as Obasanjo, had gone to
provide security for the victim and other
dignitaries at the event.
It was gathered that Kadiru was a generous
man and because of his nature, touts usually
surrounded him and sang his praises so that
he would give them money
Rahmon was said to have opened fire in a
bid to disperse the touts.
It was learnt that after the hoodlums fled,
the suspect started hailing Kadiru, shouting
Tuale (a local slang to show respect).
He allegedly shot into the air again to salute
the victim. The bullet, however, killed
Kadiru in error.
The 30-year-old suspect said, "I sell shirts at
Oluwole and I am also a part-time Yoruba
movie actor. I have starred in three films
but I do not get paid because I am an
apprentice.
In order to make ends meet, I
joined the OPC and I earn N12, 000 a month.
"On the day Alhaji was killed, Obasanjo and
I went to a secondary school in the area to
provide security for influential
personalities who came there for Ramadan
benevolence programme where they
donated items to members of the
community.
"When Alhaji arrived, I escorted his vehicle
into the compound and touts stormed the
school in order to extort money from him.
I had been told that area boys would come so
I came to the school with a gun. When I
attempted to disperse the hoodlums and
they refused to go, I shot into the air. I also
attempted to give Tuale (salute) to Alhaji
with another gunshot because I wanted him
to give me money. It was in the process that
the bullet hit him in his head."
The native of Kwara State said after Alhaji
fell to the ground, area boys gathered and
beat him up.
Our correspondent learnt that the area boys
would have lynched him if not for the
timely intervention of policemen.
"The area boys beat me up and collected all
the money on me which was about N20,000.
They seized my phone, kicked me in the
joystick many times and inflicted wounds
on my head. It was the police that saved me
from death. The policemen that came
arrested me and took me to their station,"
he said.
When asked if he was licensed and trained
to use a weapon, the suspect said, "I was
trained by OPC to use weapons. But I have
never used a gun publicly before the
incident. The gun did not belong to me; it
belonged to an armed robber that I arrested
some months ago."
The suspect, who claimed to be the
breadwinner of his family, pleaded with the
police to let him go as he did not kill the
victim deliberately.
"I have three children and my wife sells
bread. I am pleading with the police and
Alhaji's family to forgive me," he said.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi
Braide, confirmed the killing to our
correspondent on the telephone.
She said, "The matter is under investigation
at the State Criminal Investigation
Department, Yaba. The suspect would soon
be charged to court."
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