Monday 29 October 2012

Sallah: Perm Sec’s son killed on his way to buy ram


Call it double tragedy or misfortune, the last Eid-el-Kabir was a sad period for a retired permanent secretary (names withheld) in Maiduguri, Borno State as the man lost two sons barely a month after he missed death by the whiskers following a gun attack on him by assailants suspected to be Boko Haram. His son identified as Abdulrahaman was reportedly shot dead by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram while returning from a cattle market within the metropolis last Friday.
Sources said the gunmen also snatched the Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) which the victim used to carry a ram he bought for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration. “Somebody just called the family house at about 9am on Friday and said some gunmen have killed Abdul along the Kasuwa Shanu Road where he had gone to buy rams for the family early in the morning on Friday. Honestly, it is the saddest news for the family that has just lost another son to sickness about a month ago and don’t forget the Alhaji (the retired permanent secretary) was also attacked about two months ago,” a relation of the bereaved told Daily Sun yesterday on condition of anonymity. About two months ago, the former permanent secretary who retired from the services of the Yobe State government but lives in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, was attacked in his house by gunmen. One of the residents said the gunmen sneaked into the house at dusk and demanded for money.
“I learnt they pointed gun at the man and threatened to kill him if he fails to give them money. “Maybe they thought the man still has a lot of money like before but when the man couldn’t produce the amount they were expecting, they hit him on his cheek with their guns and fired few shots and left. Fortunately, he didn’t die. His family rushed him to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) where he spent weeks to recuperate,” the resident said. While on admission at the hospital, the news of the death of another son was brought to him. The young man was said to have died after a brief illness.


But as the ex-perm sec was striving to recover from the gun attack and also to put the tragic death of his son behind, another tragedy struck last weekend. Abdulrahaman was shot dead. Another unconfirmed report, however, claimed Abdulrahaman was a victim of the security challenge in the state. Some alleged he was killed by the security forces following his alleged refusal to stop at a checkpoint for the routine stop and search exercise of the JTF troops. “I heard he was on speed to meet up with the Eid prayer on Friday and didn’t know when he got to the JTF checkpoint and had to run on the sandbags mounted on the road at the checkpoint because he couldn’t apply brake when he eventually sighted the troops.
I guess the JTF men were agitated perhaps because of tensed security situation in the state during Sallah and were forced to fire at him,” Buba Ibrahim a security guard in the area said. Neither the JTF nor the family could provide an insight into the incident as at press time. “The family is in serious grief and this is a moment of sorrow for the man though as Muslims, we believe Allah knows best.” Therefore, I will advise you shelve the idea of approaching any member of the family for comment for now,” Abdul, a friend of the family advised the reporter. Also, Spokesman of Joint Task Force, Lt. Col Sagir Musa said he cannot react. “Honestly, I don’t have any report regarding the said incident and I cannot comment on what I do not have,” he told Daily Sun yesterday.

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