2011 Poll Violence: Police Arrest Suspected Killers Of 6 Corps Members

After a manhunt for a decade, police operatives in Bauchi have arrested suspects over the killing of six National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Giade local government area of Bauchi State during the 2011 post-election violence.

The suspects were also accused of killing a police officer, Rifkatu Bappa, who was on counter duty at the Charge Room in the 2011 post-election violence.

They were paraded at the state command headquarters, Bauchi, by the police commissioner, Auwal Musa Mohammed.

He said, “0n April 18, 2011 between the hours of 1230 hours and 1300 hours, a group of youth led by one Kabiru Musa aka Dawa stormed Giade divisional police headquarters following the announcement of the 2011 presidential election result, armed themselves with dangerous weapons which included a knife popularly called Barandami, cutlasses, sticks, petrol (PMS) and attacked F/No. 020827 W/PC. Rifkatu Bappa was on counter duty in the Charge Room.”

“As a result, she sustained various degrees of injuries and was immediately evacuated to Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Azare and confirmed dead by a medical doctor.”

The corps members killed in the 2011 post-election violence are Nkwazema Anslem with call-up No: NYSC/OWP/2010/127350, state code; BA/10B/1160 state of origin – Imo State; Adewumi Seun Paul with call-up no. NYSC/OOU/2010/155553, state code; BA/10B/1301, state of origin – Ekiti State. Okpokiri Obinna with call-up No. NYSC/AUU/2010/180200, state code; BA/10C/0950, state of origin; Abia.

Other victims of the election violence were Teidi Olawale Tosin with call-up no. NYSC/ILR/2010/215976, state code; BA/10C/1220, state of origin; Kogi State; Adewei Elliot with call-up no: NYSC/2011/0144144, state code; BA/11A/0274, state of origin; Bayelsa State; and Ukeoma Ikechukwu Chibuzor with call-up no: NYSC/UNN/2011/077160, state code; BA/11A/1354, state of origin; Imo State.

“The above-mentioned corps members (May their souls rest in peace) tried to take to their heels while the said suspected killer (Dawa), alongside his syndicate, ran in pursuit of the corps members to their various locations of refuge and gruesomely murdered them one after the other”.

The commissioner explained that the syndicate also attacked and broke into shops of traders and carted away valuables, further causing a breakdown of law and order on the fateful day in Giade, headquarters of the Local Government Area of the state.

“Similarly, the said Dawa, who was the Ringleader and his gang members, used petrol (PMS) and set ablaze a motor vehicle, one Toyota Starlet belonging to Mr. Peter Okoye, which was kept for safekeeping during the peak of the attack.

“In furtherance of this dastardly act, the said Dawa attacked one Bridget Peter Okeye, wife of Mr. Peter Okoye, cut her fingers, and set fire to the said motor vehicle affected/burned down the station, which led to the gruesome murder of six corps members.”