The killing of NFF Man's: ‘Policemen ignored distress calls’
Abubakar's assignment
The Chairman, Security Committee, Kado Estate, Umar Kotangora, says policemen on duty at the estate failed to respond to his distress calls during an attack on the estate.
The head of protocol at the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Abubakar, and his gateman, Umar Saidu, were killed during the attack on Wednesday.
Kontagora stated on Thursday that he called the policemen at the security post on the telephone during the attack, adding that the officers ignored his phone calls while the attack lasted.
“During the attack at Abubakar’s house, I called the policemen, but they didn’t respond. We had to walk down to the police post where we found two policemen – one was sitting while his colleague was sleeping,” he said.
Kotangora explained that the estate had recorded many attacks by armed assailants, adding that it was the reason a police post was established by the entrance to the estate.
Kotangora said two houses were attacked about five months ago, adding that a resident was stabbed in the neck during the incident.
He stated that a vigilance group that was set up to complement the police’s effort was disbanded following the refusal of the residents to pay security fees.
He said, “We set up a vigilance group to stem the incessant armed attacks, but we had to disband it because the residents refused to pay them. Some people have been calling for another vigilance group.”
Asked if he suspected insiders’ connivance, the estate security committee chairman said it was not possible for criminal gangs to carry out attacks in the estate without collusion of some residents.
He stated that a meeting had been fixed for Sunday with the Life Camp Divisional Police Officer to discuss new ways of securing the estate.
Our correspondent gathered that Abubakar was shot in the head through the window after the gang had broken the glass windows in the house.
It was learnt that the hoodlums also killed the gateman, Saidu (Umar), who approached them after they had scaled the fence into the compound.
A resident said, “It seems Saidu recognised one of the assailants because we heard him saying, ‘you again?’ Some minutes later, we heard a gunshot. It was after killing him that they went for Abubakar. They could not gain entrance into his apartment, so they broke all the glass windows and shot him.”
A former tenant of the estate, Akose Aigbodeni, said she was shocked to learn of Umar’s demise, saying she had known him for about 15 years.
She said, “Umar (Saidu) used to be a teacher. He had been a security man in the compound since 2004. I moved out of the compound in 2014, but I still maintain my relationship with him and everyone that had lived in the house I rented.”
It was learnt that the gateman, who hailed from Plateau State, had two wives and 11 children.
The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Anjuguri Manzah, stated that the Commissioner of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, had ordered the arrest and detention of the two policemen on duty during the attack.
“I just drew the CP’s attention to the allegation and he has ordered the arrest and detention of the personnel on duty.
“He has also asked the command’s provost to investigate the allegation,” he said.
The Punch
