GOC, AIG visit victims of Badagry massacre
By ALBERT AKPOR
EMOTIONS ran high Friday as top military and police officers in Lagos visited the homes of the slain soldier and police officers in the Badagry area of Lagos.
Even the top military and police officers fought back tears when relations of the victims of the bloody clash were constantly asking questions on who would take over the responsibilities of those left behind by the soldier. Some of them are Staff Sergeant Kuti Maku, the DPO, CSP Samuel Salisu and DCO Samson Okeduisi.
The General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Major General Kenneth Minimah, the AIG Zone 2 and Suleiman Fakai led other senior military and police officers to commiserate with the families having visited the scenes of the massacre.
Major General Kenneth Minimah, GOC, Army 81, Division Left, Mrs Okebusi, Wife of Late Samson Okebusi, DCO, Police Badgry right, during the visit to the family in Badagry . on Friday 27-5-2011, PHOTO; KEHINDE Gbadamosi
While commiserating with famileis of the bloody clash, the senior officers warned both the army and the police to be law abiding and shun rumour mongering.
The wife of the slain soldier identified as Caroline Maku was visibly fighting tears as she asked: “Who will take care of my four children now, 2 boys ad 2 girls. I am now a widow. Look at it now, just to go and buy fuel, my husband did not come back again.”
In same vein, wives of the DPO and DCO who were allegedly killed by persons suspected to be soldiers similarly asked the same question.
However, a mild drama played out at the resident of the the DCO, Samson Okeduisi who lived some kilometers away from the Badagry Police Station who angrily ordered the visiting officers to vacate their homes on the ground that, “after today you won’t see anybody again, we will be left to bear our cross alone.”
The children of the slain DCO and his two wives wept profusely as they demanded, “justice must be done in this case, fish out the killers of our father.”
Vanguard learnt that the slain DCO was to retire in seven months time but and that he had already attended a promotion interview and was awaiting his promotion to the rank of superintendent of police.
The family pleaded with the senior police officers led by the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Mr. Suleiman Fakai to grant their late bread winner posthumours promotion to the rank of superintendent.
The wife of the Divisional Police Officer and family members were attended to by the senior military officers at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja were they waited to see the commissioner of police.
Both the Police and Army top hierarchy in Lagos lamented the crisis that led to the killing of the Soldier, the DPO, DCO and six other persons.
The officers visited the scene where the DPO was killed opposite the Ibereko barracks of the 242 Recce Battalion of the Nigerian Army and also were the DCO was killed by some persons suspected to be soldiers.
Whereas, the DCO it was allegedly killed across the Lagos-Badagry Expressway and after shooting him, the killer allegedly used stones to finally silence him. while the soldier was reportedly killed a kilometer of two away from the Ibereko Barrack, just at a Police checkpoint.
Addressing the eight officers and 121 soldiers of the 242 Battalion, the GOC warned them to remain in their barrack and not do anything that will start the crisis afresh.
He said: “You must shun rumour mongering and get proper directive before you act. Also control your family members and advice them to shun rumours.”
