How Bauchi ex-commissioner caused his friend’s death

The family of a 67-year-old retired civil servant, late Adamu Babanta, has demanded the authorities to ensure that justice is done over the alleged killing of their father by his friend and neighbour, 68-year-old Mohammed Damina, Galadiman Dass, who is a former Commissioner of Information and Special Duties.

Daily Trust reports that the incident happened on October 30 when the deceased caught Mohammed trying to woo his daughter to a sexual relationship. The deceased  was angry at the behaviour of his friend, which resulted in an altercation that led to the deceased being crushed by Mohammed as he tried to drive away his car.

Mohammed was a Commissioner of Information under the administration of former Governor Isa Yuguda. He also holds the traditional title of Galadiman Dass in Dass Emirate Council of Bauchi State.

The younger brother of the deceased, Kabiru Inuwa, told Daily Trust that the issue started some days back when the deceased’s daughter, Khadija Adamu Babanta, received calls from an unknown number.

“After two days from the first calls, she again received another call from the same person who declined to disclose his name. Khadija complained to her father, who advised her to get a new number. Despite that, the man called the new number. The last call was on that fateful Sunday when he disclosed his name. However, it was her younger sister who picked the call and when he noticed it was not Khadija’s voice, he dropped the call.

“After an hour when she came back, he called again and she picked the call; asked who was on the line, and he identified himself.  He then asked her to meet him at a filling station. She rushed to her father and narrated what transpired.

“The father asked her to go as planned and that he would follow from behind to ascertain the situation. As expected, Galadima was waiting at the point while Khadija’s father who followed in a tricycle watched what was happening. Mohammed  asked her to enter the car after he had opened the door, but she declined, asking him where he wanted to take her to.

“It was at this point the deceased confronted Mohammed, dragging him as he tried to drive away.”

He said as they were struggling, Mohammed threw the deceased out of the car and tried to drive away. It was while driving away that the car crushed the legs of  Adamu, whose head had hit the pavement. He later died while being taken to a hospital.

Inuwa said the death of Adamu had thrown the family into trauma. He said the deceased left behind 22 children and three wives.

“What we want now for the deceased family is the state government to ensure that justice is done to the matter. We are also calling for compensation to alleviate their sufferings.

“The reason why we are appealing to the state government and the police to ensure justice is that Mohammed is an influential person and has been bragging that very soon he will be freed from custody. We know that he is a popular politician and an in-law to the current Emir of Dass and  is likely to use his influence to scuttle the case,” Inuwa added.

In a chat with Daily Trust,  Khadija Adamu Babanta narrated how the suspect called her earlier asking her for an appointment which she declined.

“On Sunday, he called me again and I said I was in a shop and forgot about him. Later when I returned home, I handed over my phone to my younger sister and went straight to the bathroom to bathe. He called while the phone was with my sister and insisted that he had given me one hour to finish my bath to come and meet him. Immediately I came out from the bathroom, my sister told me that the Galadiman Dass had called, asking that I should meet him.

“That was when I reported the issue to my father,” Khadija said amidst tears.

Habiba Adamu Babanta, one of the widows, said  the Galadiman Dass has deprived the family of its source of peace, hope and guardian.

“This man (Damina) has turned our children to orphans overnight and plunged our lives into misery. My husband is known by all for his religious disposition and moral virtues.

“We have already lost  him and nothing can bring him back and as Muslims, we have left  everything to God. We are appealing to authorities to ensure that the law takes its course and ensure that justice is done to the case and not allow him to use his influence to truncate the matter.”

The eldest son of the deceased, Abdulmajid Adamu Babanta, told Daily Trust that the sad incident had shocked the entire family.

“Allah has destined this unfortunate incident to be the cause of his death and we have accepted the will of Allah, but we are calling on all the authorities to ensure that justice is done to the issue. It will be very unfair to allow brutal killing from a randy neighbour to go unpunished.

“I am proud of my late father for the good parenting, training and upbringing he gave us, his children,” Babanta said.

Meanwhile, Bauchi State Police Command has commenced investigation into the matter, saying  Mohammed Damina is under detention. It said the incident was being treated as a case of a fatal accident leading to death.

It said the law provided that persons charged under that should be detained for not more than 24 hours pending the outcome of a medical report.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakili, said: “The Commissioner of Police has directed that the case should be transferred to the SCIIB for further discreet investigation while a post-mortem examination will be conducted on the deceased and the results will be made public.”

(Daily Trust)