…wants celebrant arrested, prosecuted
Widow of Chikere Obieshi, one of the two persons shot dead by a policeman at a birthday party he attended in the Ipaja area of Lagos State, Mrs. Ifeanyi Obieshi, has said that her husband was set-up and shot dead. The 28 year-old mother of three said her late husband, Chikere Obieshi, also known as JB, never intended to attend the birthday party, but was forced by the celebrant, alleging that the gunshot was aimed at her husband and it went through his chest.
The distraught widow who spoke with our correspondent said it would be difficult for her to cope with the death of her husband, begging the State Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi to fish out the organiser of the party, Ifeanyi Ucheudu and the Police Inspector, Muhammed Husseini, who allegedly shot him and bring them to book, adding that that is the most tragic thing that has ever happened to her.
The incident that occurred on April 24, about 9p.m. at La Silver Bar, Ipaja, shattered all her plans. “We planned to do so many things this year, but now I am left alone, how do I cope?” She said: “The death of my husband was a perfectly planned deal, the birthday was supposed to be held on Saturday, not Sunday. The celebrant doesn’t live in the neighbourhood where the party took place. Why did Ucheudu move it to our community, just to kill my husband still baffles me. “The celebrant called my husband more than three times, insisting that my husband should attend his birthday party to honour him.
When my husband eventually got to the venue of the party he called me to inform me that he would only spend few minutes at the party before returning home. “Few minutes later after we spoke, our gateman came to me that some people have been shot at La Silver Bar, immediately I was informed about the incident my children and I started crying, we couldn’t sleep throughout the night. “After the incident, I was told the celebrant ran out of the hall. Till now he is nowhere to be found, no communication, nothing, I mean it. His phone lines have been switched off since then, in that case I felt what happened to my husband was perfectly planned in order to eliminate him, reasons why he was killed is best known to the celebrant.”
The bereaved mother of three added that on Saturday, before the incident occurred, Ucheudu called her husband telling him of his birthday plans, later he called again and said it has been cancelled, that it has been shifted to Sunday, why he was calling him consistently I don’t know. My children had been crying asking about their father.
“The unfortunate day the incident occurred my husband took me to the hospital where I went for a checkup, because I just came out of the hospital where I had surgery, we had barely rest after we returned home from the hospital when my husband said he was going to a meeting and from the meeting he would step into the venue of the birthday party to honour his friend. I still don’t believe the gunshot was a mistake. I strongly believe the death of my husband was a setup.
I want the celebrant arrested and prosecuted, I don’t know where to start from now with the kids, my husband was my friend.” On his part, Mr. Anyayochukwu Obieshi, the deceased elder brother said since he received the news of the death of his brother he has been asking God to wake him up from his nightmare, because he doesn’t believe he is dead.
“I was told that the policeman invited by Ucheudu has been inside the hall two hours before the arrival of my brother and there was no gunshot, immediately my brother arrived and began to spray the celebrant money that was when they shot my brother directly from behind. The death of my brother is a premeditated one, I want him arrested. “When the Commissioner of Police came to condole with us that was exactly what I told him, his wife and kids are young, I want justice for them.
The CP also promised us that the policeman will be arrested and prosecuted and the celebrant will also not escape. “I want all those behind the death of my brother to be brought to book, that is the only way we can find solace.”
The in-law to the deceased who simply identified himself as Justice said the major concern for him and other family members now is how the widow is going to cope. “We don’t know how the widow is going to survive. What we are asking for is justice.
“He left his house to honour an acquaintance only for him to be killed. Justice won’t feed his family. It is the little things we are asking for, the government should do little thing for his family because the deed has been done.” During a procession at Computer village, Mr. Samuel Ebiem, Vice President of Phone Allied Product Dealers Association stated that the police officer was not drunk as claimed. Ebiem said Chikere is a businessman of repute, saying they are not happy the manner he was murdered, that means we are no longer safe whenever we go to party with our friends. Describing the deceased, another trader in the market, Mr. Germanus Anyivs said JB was a deserving young man whose quality has no bound, very accommodating, “alot of people depend on him for survival. Now he is gone, I don’t know what will happen to those people now.
“He was one of the peace-keepers in the volatile market, we don’t want him to die in vain, we want justice for him and the family he left behind.” Meanwhile, The Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi while assuring the wife of the deceased during a condolence visit, said investigation was still ongoing, but findings so far reveal that the shooting was accidental and involved an off-duty police officer, one Inspector Muhammed Husseini serving at the State Headquarters, Ikeja. Findings equally reveal that the off-duty officer is a friend of the celebrant, Ifeanyi, aka Obama, and was not at the party in any official capacity.
While efforts are currently being intensified to apprehend the fleeing birthday celebrant, the officer involved is expected to turn himself in anytime soon.