Family Seeks Justice Over Mob Killing Of Herder In Plateau

The family of one Alhaji Muhammad Umar is seeking justice over the killing of their 30-year-old son, Abdulkareem Muhammad, a herder who was killed by a mob in Kago Village, Egbak District of Bassa local government area of Plateau State.

The family also dismissed reports alleging that the victim was a suspected criminal.

Our correspondent gathered that two persons, including a police officer and a herder, were allegedly killed by a mob on September 10 in the area, who mistook them for motorcycle thieves.

The father of the victim who narrated his ordeal to Journalists in Jos, Plateau State capital, alleged that the mob action against was deliberate.

He called on the state Commissioner of Police, CP Emmanuel Adesina, to investigate the matter and ensure justice for the deceased, his wife, and their child.

According to the deceased’s father, his son had earlier informed him about a farm dispute, where a police officer accused the victim’s cattle of destroying the officer’s crops.

However, the father claimed this allegation was untrue and that community leaders in the area had begun efforts to investigate the matter and resolve through dispute amicably.

Umar described the murder of his son as calculated, urging the police authority to investigate the officer who instructed his arrest.

He emphasised that an arrest should have been carried out by the police in Bassa, with the knowledge of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the area. “My son was innocent,” he maintained.

“No one has ever reported him for any kind of criminality, and he should not be described as a criminal. Everyone in the area knows he was engaged in legitimate business. We are calling on the Police Commissioner to investigate this matter. He left behind a child and a wife; who will take responsibility for them?”

A legal practitioner, B.H. Ibrahim who also spoke to Journalists, stated that the deceased had informed him about threats to his life by a police officer.

Ibrahim said he had already filed a case at High Court 3, Kasuwan Nama, Jos and was on his way to Jos for a brief on the case when he was killed.

“While on his way, there was a shout of “motorcycle thief,” and unfortunately, the deceased and one of the police officers who illegally went to arrest him were killed. This is unfortunate. We are calling on the Commissioner of Police to investigate the officer who reported the alleged farm destruction and ensure justice for the family,” the lawyer said.