Killed seperating a fight
When Monday Ojochogwu, Edubi, left his office called Villa's Sport Hotel at the Federal Housing, Lugbe-Airport road Thursday evening for his resident at Lugbe, a suburb at the federal capital territory, he had hoped to return to the office the following day to continue his job. The 30 years old chogwu, as he is popularly called left his office at about 9 pm and headed straight for his Lugbe, Abuja residence, without harbouring any thoughts that death might be lurking around the corner.
Not later than five minutes that he arrived his apartment, the gentle Chogwu who was living with his younger ones, Ajuma and Jude was sent to the land of the dead by a police corporal, Pius Anug who engaged his girl friend in a serious fight over what was not disclosed to the neighbours before tragedy struck.
Chogwu, who hailed from Iyano in Ibaji local government of Kogi State , was stabbed at the side of his stomach on that fateful day when he attempted to separate the two fighting, the policeman and his girl friend, which sources in the area disclosed that is also a police corporal who resides in the same compound with the victim.
The victim's younger sister, Ajuma Edubi who narrated her brother's unfortunate incident said, her brother was stabbed and left in the poll of his blood at about 10.30pm Thursday night, shortly after he arrived home from work. Ajuma said her brother did not have more than 20 minutes rest in his apartment before he crossed over to the next door in his compound to separate two fighting, where he met his death.
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Ajuma said the killer, Pius Anug, from Cross Rivers State came to the compound at about 9 pm and went straight to the girl's room which is very close to his brother's room. Whatever happened between the two before the fight broke out is only to be revealed by corporal Anug who is presently in his colleagues net at the Lugbe Police Station. The much that is known was the helpless Chogwu swimming in his own blood, looking for a saviour to save him from the hands of death.
“My brother did not know that they will kill him. He came home from work to meet somebody fighting his neighbour. He just went there to separate them and they stabbed him with knife. We did not know what happened in the room. We only heard my brother shouting, calling for help. When we tried to see what was happening, the man picked race. The man was running to escape when we started calling on neighbour to help catch him.
“The police man real met to kill. He deliberately killed my brother for nothing. He first of all inflicted injury on our younger brother, Jude who first interred the room to save the female police corporal from being killed by the wicked male corporal. Jude was injured on the neck by the police. It was when my elder brother saw what happened to Jude that he went there as a seniour person, to rescue the lady police. They tried to be good to them but see what happened.
“We wouldn't have gotten him, if not the wisdom that God gave to us not to be shouting murderer after him, but to be shouting thief, thief, thief, thief following him, the call that drew the passersby's attention to the killer who was trying to escape. It was when they brought him down that we revealed to them what he did.
At this time Chogwu was battling with death. The bleeding was uncontrollable. The people around us helped us to carry him to Wuse General Hospital in Wuse zone 3. The doctor in charge tried the best he could, to save him but my brother could not make it. He could not live to tell the story. My beloved Chogwu gave up the following morning. He will not just die like that. Justice must take its place in this matter.” Ajuma broke down in tears as she narrated her brother's ordeal.
Well wishers, Family members and residents of the community who had followed him to the hospital could not sleep as Chogwu was constantly grunting in pain before he finally answered death's call Friday morning at the hospital.
The remains of Chogwu is presently lying in Wuse General Hospital 's mortuary in Abuja . The police are on the matter, according to the I. P. O. Murtalab Mohammed who was of good support to the family of the late Chogwu during the arrangement to deposit the corpse at the mortuary, even though he would not say if they had made any headway in unraveling the mystery behind the killing.
President of Abaji Development Association, Abuja branch, the association Chogwu belongs to; Assistant Superintendent of police rtd Mike Edibo has condemned the killing, calling on police officers in charge of the case to expedite action in ensuring that the killer faces the consequence of his action.
He expressed worry that, at this period that Nigerians are looking forward for a reformed police force that can tackle the nation's security challenges, a police officer could act in such an unlawful way. The retired ASP urged the police authority to quickly bring the killer to the face of the law in order to serve as deterrent to others.
Reacting to the incident, the patron of the association, a retired foreign affairs staff, Jacob Achuba said “we are watching to see how the police will handle this murder case. We are going to follow them closely to see the end of the case. This is a clear murder case and they should know what the law says about it”.
Late chogwu left behind, his mother Ifema Edubi, his elder brother, Vincent Edubi, Godday Edubi, Lucky Edubi and Ajuma Edubi.