Suspected armed herdsmen have beheaded a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Numan local government area of Adamawa State, Mr. Charles Chrisanthus and made away with the head.
The politician, who was the party’s chairman in Bare ward, was reportedly killed in the presence of his wife, Dorcas, in his farm on August 29, 2018.
The deceased wife however accused the police of shielding the killers of her husband.
Speaking in an interview at the State Criminal Investigation Department where she had gone to lodge her complaint on Tuesday, Dorcas told Northern City News that only justice for her slain husband would bring her peace.
She said she was holding her four-month old son and watched helplessly as the assailants hacked her husband to death.
“His attackers led by our Fulani neighbours repeatedly stabbed him on the back and on his stomach before beheading my husband in our farm and made away with his head,” she said.
Claiming to have made some arrests, the police had invited the widow of the late politician and three other female witnesses to the state CID for their statements.
It was at the CID that the families of the deceased were alerted to the whereabouts of the suspected killers.
The bereaved families, it was learnt, discovered that some of the suspects arrested in connection with the killing were receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital.
Dorcas said she could identify her husband’s killers, insisting that the police were shielding them from answering for their crime.
“The police under the guise of allowing the suspects to seek medical attention are shielding those that killed my husband. The only thing I want is justice,” she stated.
A PDP youth leader in Bare ward, Tekas Adiel, explained that the police earlier claimed that the Fulanis who perpetrated the killings had fled the community, insisting that the same assailants carried out another attack on Tuesday.
But the police spokesman in the state, Mr. Musa Habibu, insisted that some of the alleged perpetrators of the crime were in custody, adding that investigation into the incident was had begun.
Asked about the suspects allegedly receiving medical attention in a hospital, Habibu said: “A suspect has a right to medical attention if he is sick. Some arrests have been made and those arrested are in police custody. I have had consultations with the assistant commissioner of police handling the issue who said arrest had been made.”
“But if they said one of those arrested is receiving medical attention, a suspect has a right to medication if he’s truly sick, it could be but I don’t have that information,” Habibu said.
The ubiquitous herdsmen also killed seven people in some villages in Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau State on Tuesday and Thursday.
According to reports, five of the victims were killed at Razat mining site in Gana-Ropp village, while two others were slain during an attack in Nding Suisut community on Thursday
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), northern zone, Rev Yakubu Pam, said in a statement on Thursday that the killer herdsmen escaped from the scene of the attacks after felling their victims at the tin mining site.
He condemned the killings and called on the residents of Barkin Ladi to be very vigilant while security agencies embark on a manhunt for the perpetrators of the act.
He expressed regrets that the way and manner the local miners were shot dead at the tin mining site of Razat Community of Kwock, Ropp District, was an indication that some people were plotting to return Plateau State to its dark days.
“Let me tell you that there is no resting place for the wicked; these evil men would definitely be caught by the law enforcement personnel very soon,” he said.
He added that the killers of Gyang, Jillim, Lamba, David and a woman named Rebecca at the tin mining site of Razat must be brought to justice to serve as deterrence to other merchants of death planning such heinous crimes.
Meanwhile, spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Mr. Matthias Tyopev, who confirmed the incidents called on anyone with useful information on the matter to pass same to the police for immediate action.
On 4/9/2018 being Tuesday at about 1230hrs, information received from Da Gyang Pam, the Mai-Angwa of Gana-Ropp, a village in Barkin Ladi, indicated that on the same day at about 1215hrs, there were sporadic gunshots at the mining site in the Bush around Gana-Ropp.
“After the receipt of the information, a police team led by the Divisional Police Officer of Barkin Ladi Division was dispatched to the scene of the crime. On arrival, the DPO discovered that five persons were shot by unknown gunmen who fled the scene before the arrival of security men.
“They were all rushed to the General Hospital in Barkin Ladi LGA but were confirmed dead by the doctor on duty. The corpses were later released to the family members of the victims for burial. Investigation in the crime is ongoing.”
Tyopev also confirmed the killings that took place on Thursday saying: “On 06/09/2018 at about 0630hrs, the Plateau State Police Command, Jos, received a distress call to the effect that unknown gunmen shot some people in Nding Suisut Village of Barkin Ladi LGA.
“Armed police personnel were immediately dispatched to the area. On arrival at the scene of the crime, four persons were seen with gunshot wounds. They were then recovered to the General Hospital, Barkin Ladi, where the doctor on duty confirmed two out of the four victims dead. The two others are on admission in the same hospital and in a stable condition.
“The family members of those who lost their lives declined autopsy and the corpses were released to them for burial. Investigation in the killings is in progress.”
With Punch report
