By Adeola Opeyemi –
A bereaved mother has cried out to the world to help her get
justice for her daughter allegedly murdered by a man - She accused a
philanthropist in her neighborhood, one Alhaji Usman Adamu of killing her
daughter - She also alleged that the police is trying to
bury the issue without getting justice for her daughter A bereaved mother, Philomena Odama, has cried out to the
world to help her get justice for her daughter allegedly murdered by one Alhaji
Adamu Usman in Abuja. Odama alleged that Usman murdered her daughter under the
pretense of helping her financed her and other girls in the neighbourhood to
finance their education. Odama wrote a petition to the Inspector General of
Police and Senate president alleging that the police and the alleged killer of
her daughter coerced her to collect N400,000 as settlement after her daughter's
death.
Read the mother's petition below:
Odama's picture and a copy of her mother's petition.
I am a native of Yala LGA in Cross River
state. I am resident at old Karmo village in Abuja. Joy Odama is my first
daughter. She is a 200 level undergraduate of Mass Communications at the Cross
River State University; who just returned for Christmas holidays and met her
untimely death. On the 18th December, 2016, one Elizabeth from Ogoja LGA, Cross
River state, who is my daughter's friend visited us and told Joy to accompany
her to see one Alhaji Usman Adamu who she said was a philanthropist that gives
scholarship to young students. She said the Alhaji lives in the same
neighborhood, precisely at Ibro Quarters, Old Karmo-Abuja. Knowing Elizabeth as
a long time friend and without any suspicion, she innocently followed her to
the said Alhaji's house. On getting there, my daughter called me that the
Alhaji wants to see me. I asked why and she said that the Alhaji wants to help
her with her education with other girls who lives in the neighborhood who are
there with their parents. I quickly got to the house and Alhaji Usman Adamu
promised to help in my daughters education and equally promised to get me a job
with the Nigerian Security & Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC). We exchanged
numbers, I graciously thanked him and left with my daughter.
Two days later on the 20th December,
2016 in the evening, Alhaji Usman Adamu called my daughter and said his house
help is seriously sick and that she should please come and look after her while
he goes to get a doctor. He also said he has called other girls (i.e the other
girls we saw in his house the previous day). Joy told me and I allowed her to
go. That was the last time I saw my daughter alive. After a while on the same
day, I called Joy and she said she was at the house with the other girls and
will soon be coming back. About an hour later, when she was not yet back, I
called severally but she did not pick. Out of curiosity, I called Alhaji Usman
Adamu on his number 08179606208 but he too did not pick. I became more worried
and went to the house but couldn't gain access to Alhaji's apartment.
The next morning, I called Joy and Alhaji
Adamu several times to no avail. Eventually, Alhaji Adamu picked his call and
to my surprise, he pretended not to know who I was nor who Joy was. When I
pressed further he said "did anything happen to Joy" as if she does
not know where she is. At this point I knew all was not well. In panic, I
called my husband (who was not around at the time due to the nature of his work),
my relatives and neighbors and we all agreed to report to the police. As we
were about stepping out to the police station, we saw two policemen in our
house who asked us to follow them to the police station at Karmo. On getting
there, the DPO informed us that all the girls that went to Alhaji's house are
all unconscious; that one is not responding to treatment while the others are
responding. We requested to see Joy but we were turned down and asked to come
back the next day. We pressed further but the DPO insisted we go and come back
as directed.
The next day being 22nd December,
2016 I went back to the police station in company of relatives and a lawyer who
is a close family friend. To my utter shock, I was told that my daughter was
dead and has been taken to the mortuary. We asked to know how, why and what led
to Joy's death and the DPO, CSP Nkem Raphael declined further comments. Our
lawyer asked if the Alhaji has been arrested but CSP Nkem Raphael bluntly told
us that as far he is concerned, Alhaji is not culpable, no crime has been
committed, that my daughter died a natural death and he cannot arrest Alhaji
Usman Adamu. DPO Nkem told the lawyer to take the matter to his superiors but
that he has already informed them about the matter and as far as they are concerned,
Alhaji Adamu cannot be arrested. We requested to know the whereabouts of my
daughters corpse and the other girls responding to treatment so we can
interview them. The DPO directed us to Federal Medical Center, Airport Road
Abuja and on getting to the mortuary, we discovered body has already been
embalmed. When we asked why my daughters body was embalmed without our
knowledge, one of the attendant's confided in us that Alhaji Usman Adamu first
brought the dead body in the early hours of 21st Dec,2016 claiming to be the
father of the girl.
But on seeing the body, they suspected foul
play and insisted that they will not admit the body until they see a police or
doctor's report. Alhaji Usman Adamu left and came back with DPO Nkem Raphael of
Karmo Divisional Police who ordered them to immediately embalm the body. We
also discovered that the other girls the DPO claimed were on admission in the
hospital were not there. We went back to the police station to find out why our
daughters body would be embalmed without our prior consent.
At the police station, I saw Martha,
one of the girls whom I met at Alhaji Usman Adamu's house. She was by the
police canter and I asked her what happened to Joy and she narrated the
following; " on the 20th of December, 2016 Alhaji Usman Adamu called her
to come to his house, that he has already called the other girls to help him
look after his house help who was very sick. But her elder brother ( Emmanuel,
who was also in the police station with her) stopped her from going to Alhaji's
house that day. But that she sneaked very early in the morning to Alhaji's
house the following day and on getting there she was shocked at what she saw.
She saw my daughter, Joy Odama lying lifeless on the floor and the other girls
were stooling and vomiting. She became afraid and tried to run out of the house
but Alhaji Usman Adamu and some inside the house held her back and brought her
to the police station.
When I was about asking her further questions,
some police men shouted at her to stop talking and whisked her away. We went
back again to the DPO, CSP Nkem Raphael to ask why my daughter was embalmed
without our knowledge and that we heavily suspect foul play and demanded for an
explanation and further investigation. The DPO reiterated his initial position
and bluntly told us not to pursue this case further, that he would advise us to
dialogue with Alhaji Usman Adamu for our daughters burial. He insisted he has
nothing more to do with us until we agree to meet with Alhaji Usman Adamu. On
the advise of a family friend, we agreed to meet with Alhaji Usman Adamu to
shed more light on what actually transpired. On the agreed date of the meeting
being 24th December, 2016 by 10am, we were at the police station with our
lawyer but on sighting the lawyer, the DPO lied that the meeting has been
postponed.
When the lawyer asked why, he said
that the Alhaji was not around and that his number is not connecting, that he
will call the lawyer and inform her of the next date for the meeting.
Immediately the lawyer left, the DPO quickly called us inside his office and we
were so surprised to see Alhaji Usman Adamu sitting right there. The DPO told
us to put off our phones and drop it on his desk , that he does not want the
meeting to be recorded. In attendance was the DPO, CSP Nkem Raphael, DCO, SP
Michael Obiora, the Inspector Crime and Alhaji Usman Adamu. On our side was my
husband, myself, relatives and a family friend. The DPO was the first to speak.
He said if we know what is good for us we should agree to whatever the Alhaji
will offer us and desist from further pursuing this matter. Alhaji Usman Adamu
then offered to settle the matter with three hundred thousand naira (N300,000)
and we became infuriated with anger, left home and informed the lawyer what
happened.
The lawyer insisted that further
investigation be carried out. READ ALSO: Biafra: Nigeria Army drops bombshell,
explains how military officers allegedly escaped IPOB/MASSOB ambush The DPO
again called for a second meeting where we met with AIG Umoru Usman Shehu; AIG
Intelligence, Force Headquarters Abuja. AIG Umoru told us bluntly also that
investigation in this matter is closed and cannot be reopened. He said Alhaji
Usman Adamu should add an additional One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000) to
his initial offer. He told us harshly that that is the much he can do in this
matter and that is his final decision and it is in our best interest to accept
the offer.
At this point, apparently sensing
the threat in his tone, a family friend present called us aside and advised
that we collect the money to give them a false believe that we have agreed to
their terms while we go home and think of the next line of action, including
having it as an exhibit. As it stands now, it is very visible the blind and
audible to the deaf that Alhaji Usman Adamu has people in high places within
the Nigerian Police Force and have connived with them to deny our poor family
justice.
So, I am passionately pleading and
calling on the government and the general public to come to my aid so that my
daughters gruesome death will not be in vain. Investigations has revealed that
my daughter, Joy Odama is not the first girl that Alhaji Usman Adamu has killed
on the pretext of helping them. I am using this medium to appeal to all to help
me seek for justice in the painful death of my daughter.
NAIJ
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