Two killed in suspected gang clash in Abuja community

By SALIU GBADAMOSI, Abuja

Two persons were allegedly killed in a suspected gang clash at Piwoyi community located behind Shoprite on the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Expressway (Airport Road) in Abuja.

Tribune Online gathered that one of the deceased, Emmanuel John, was a son of the immediate past Etsu Piwoyi, Chief John Bamaiyi Gata, who passed away about two years ago.

It was gathered that the late 21-year-old John was stabbed on the neck by one Olowonusi Lucky Abraham, on Sunday, evening during a clash, which cause could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.

The deceased was said to have been rushed to a nearby clinic in the community where he eventually died.

The incident, TribuneOnline gathered, was reported at the Lugbe police station by the family of the deceased, who had moved his remains to the residence

The culprit, it was gathered, promptly ran away having realised the gravity of the offence. It was, however, learnt that one of his friends alleged to have been involved in the clash was arrested by youths in the community and handed over to the police at the Lugbe division.

However, there was tension in the community on Monday as locals, mostly of Gwari extraction, insisted on burying the late John but the police were adamant that he could not be buried until after completion of investigations into circumstances leading to his death.

One of the locals, who pleaded not to be named said, “It is against our (Gwari) culture and tradition here to embalm the remains of any of our deceased. We don’t delay burial rites as well.”

A family member informed that even though they wanted to bury the late John in accordance with their culture and tradition, the family was waiting for police clearance to do so.

Another source, however, told TribuneOnline that the clash might not be unconnected with a cult-related issue, claiming that it was a cult rivalry that led to the clash in which the deceased was stabbed on the neck, leading to his bleeding profusely before he eventually died.

As the dust was yet to settle on whether the police would allow the late John to be buried or not, an unidentified corpse was discovered in the stream that passes through the community.

As of the time of filing this report, community members were yet to ascertain the identity and cause of death of the boy found dead in the stream face down

While some people claimed he drowned in the stream, some people were heard saying that his remains might have been dumped there after being killed somewhere else.

TribuneOnline gathered that when police personnel came to the scene, they could not bring the corpse out of the stream, while some residents claimed that it was only indigenes who could bring the remains out of the stream.

A source among the Gwari people informed that their elders had warned them not to be involved in the removal of the corpse from the stream, saying that they insisted it was the duty of the police to do so.

Having stayed for some minutes without getting people to remove the corpse from the stream, the police operatives were said to have left the community, saying that they would inform the Abuja Environment Protection Board (AEPB) to come and remove it. (Nigerian Tribune)