AFTER the 3rd May 2012 murder of the former Private Secretary to the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, police arrested one of his closest friends, Reverend David Ugolor, as the allegedly sponsor of the assassination.
Why would Ugolor kill his friend? More importantly, operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, paraded a group of youth, different from the police’s, arrested with implicating evidence, and some of them made statements that pointed to the possibility of their involvement in the murder.
After seven months of severe travails Ugolor was discharged and acquitted of robbery and murder by a Benin Chief Magistrate’s Court on 29th November 2012. A magistrate court still handles murder and robbery cases in 2012 Nigeria?
Two different groups of suspects by two different law enforcement agencies increase the confusion. How can the killers of Oyerinde be found in the confusion?
Oyerinde’s murder appears politically-motivated. And will it join the long list of unresolved murders?
Many are awaiting the result of President Goodluck Jonathan’s order to IG Mohammed Abubakar to find the killers. Abubakar was also asked to re-open investigation of other such cases. The long – though inexhaustive list:
· Garba Bello, official of the State Security Service, murdered in Kano in 2010 with his wife, three children.
· Abdulahi Muazu, Head of EFCC’s Forensic Unit killed in his Kaduna home in 2010.
· Chief Funso William, a Lagos State governorship aspirant was murdered in 2007.
· Chief James Bola Ige was assassinated as the Attorney General of the Federation in December 2001 in Ibadan.
· Chief Marshall Harry of the All Nigerian Peoples Party was murdered in 2003.
· Chief Aminosoari Dikibo, a PDP chieftain, killed in 2003.
· Chief Andrew Agom, former Managing Director of Nigeria Airways, a PDP chieftain, was shot dead.
· Ogun State AC governorship candidate Dipo Dina killed.
· Dr. Ayo Daramola, PDP gubernatorial aspirant in Ekiti State killed.
· Out-spoken pilot Jerry Agbeyegbe was shot dead on a Lagos bridge.
· Mr. Barnabas Igwe, chairman of Onitsha NBA and his wife Abigail were killed.
· Mr. Victor Nwankwo, a publisher, was killed.
· Hajiya Abubakar Rimi was killed in Kano.
· Dele Giwa, a journalist, was letter-bombed in 1986.
· Omololu Falobi, journalist, was killed in 2006.
· 22 December 2006, Chairman of the Editorial Board of Thisday, Godwin Agbroko, was shot dead on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.
· In 1996, Bagauda Kaltho, a reporter with The News, disappeared in the custody of security agencies who later announced he killed himself.
· Bayo Otu of The Guardian killed in 2009.
We call for justice for Oyerinde, Ugolor and other victims of these unfortunate incidents.
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