Detectives from the homicide department of the Nigeria Police are yet to unravel the mystery surrounding the death of Mr. Osagie Asemota, one year after he was gruesomely murdered by unknown gunmen right on the main street of Benin City, Edo State.
In deep despair, the forlorn father, Pa Dagama Asemota, wailed that the unknown gunmen who shot his son dead on March 30, 2023, have threatened to murder his nephew, Christian Asemota anywhere he is found in Nigeria as their evil tentacles are spread throughout the country. Frightened, Christian took to flight and has not been seen since the tragic killing of his cousin, Osagie.
In tears, Pa Dagama Asemota said the death squad regularly calls him on private numbers, vowing to kill Christian, no matter how long it takes. The situation is blowing his weak mind as he cannot stand the death of his nephew.
Sounding downcast, he said: “After the shooting to death of my biological son, Osagie, the same people who murdered him keep calling me, threatening to kill my brother’s son and wife anytime and anywhere they see him in Nigeria. Christian is like a son to me. I cannot afford the death of another son. The police are yet to make any arrest following the killing of my son. The killers are still lurking around with fire in their eyes.”
Pa. Asemota lamented that sadness set into his happy life when he first received the news that his nephew was being looked for by some hoodlums and the police over the incident that took place at a Polling Centre in Ogheghe on February 25, 2023, during the Presidential/National Assembly Election when some armed thugs, with guns blazing in both hands, reportedly galloped into a polling centre at Ogheghe, suburban of Benin City.
Going by police report, some voters at Ogheghe, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, were waiting patiently to vote when the dark goggled goons who were armed to the teeth lumbered in. They started firing hot leads in anger in a desperate attempt at snatching ballot boxes and scaring voters away.
When the echoes of the guns, which reverberated for seconds in the neighbourhood, fell silent, three fazed fellows fell to the floor with a thud, bleeding profusely and writhing in pain. One Mrs. Elizabeth Owie, a mother of three boys was hit and died instantly. Two other victims, one of who was later identified as Idahosa Festus Ekhorutomwen also died on the spot, while the second sustained severe non-life threatening gunshot wounds.
The distraught dad disclosed that even though he was sad when he read the news in the papers, he didn’t think much of it. The thought that his son, Osagie and nephew Christian had hands in the deed did not flash across his mind.
Wrinkled as a result of his son’s death and threat on Christian, his nephew, the Septuagenarian said that he only got to pick the pieces of the sad story together after the fatal shooting of his son in the presence of his cousin, Christian, who escaped by the whiskers.
The old man said the hoodlums who alleged his nephew of carrying out the fatal election day hit laid a snare for the two cousins on March 30, 2023, at Ramat Park as they cruised along with Osagie, Christian’s wife and children that fateful evening, with the intention to kill Christian.
The two cozy cousins were chatting happily as they zoomed along when the heavily armed gunmen caught up with them and released a volley of bullets at them. While Osagie was hit and died of gunshot wounds, Christian manoeuvred the vehicle to a stop, picked his wife, children and dashed off as fast as their feet could carry them.
Sighing, he lamented: The unidentified gunmen erroneously shot my son over Christian’s alleged involvement in the killings on election day at Ogheghe. After killing my son, they have been sending a series of threats to Christian’s life which made him flee from home. His whereabouts remain unknown at present.
“The hoodlums are threatening to kill him as they insist they will not relent until Christian is killed even though he has no hand in the matter. The Police had earlier declared him wanted over the incident on election day at Ogheghe before the killing of his cousin, Osagie.”
Pa. Asemota continued: “Christian is easy going. My nephew (Christian) is scared stiff of coming back as suspected killers are still at large. The Police should apprehend and bring to justice the suspected killers of my son.”
The Edo State Police spokesman, Chidi Nwanbuzor, who confirmed the killing of Osagie by some unknown gunmen however said that investigations ran into a hitch following the transfer of the investigating police officer (IPO) to another state.
Nwanbuzor, a Superintendent of Police, said: “I am aware of the killing but no arrest has been made so far. I can’t speak authoritatively on the matter because the Investigating Police Officer was affected by the recent nationwide transfer of Police Officers. The case has not been assigned to any officer for further investigation”.