Grief and outrage from different groups of people have enveloped Jos and its environs as a result of the gruesome murder of Fwinbe Gofwan by suspected commercial motorcycle riders known as ‘Okada’ while driving in his Suzuki mini bus along Domkat Bali in Jos South LGA of the state
Indeed, tears flowed freely as sympathisers, family members, friends stormed the residence of late Mr. Fwinbe Gofwan located at Saka in Jos South local Government of Plateau State to condole with the family over the murder of their son.
LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that the sad incident happened at about 9pm. The deceased in his thirties was said to have been preparing for his wedding when his life was cut short by these enemies of progress.
It was said the young man was heading home when the incident happened. He was alledged to have had a minor ‘brush’ with a commercial motorcycle rider on the road around Tudun Wada motor park area of Jos North LGA, prompting the riders to give him a hot chase and when they eventually caught up with him around Domkat Bali Road, they lynched him by stoning him to death while in his car.
The murder of this young man sparked outrage and condemnation by the state government, youth groups, concerned citizens and the University of Jos Alumni Association.
One of the family member who happened to be the deceased, Wakbul Gofwan, while narrating their ordeal to LEADERSHIP Weekend said his brother was pelted with stones and killed by their very own Tudun Wada commercial motorcycle riders.
He explained that Fwinbe is his younger brother and the youngest of a family of 4 boys (Pee Gofwan, Manji Gofwan , himself and Fwinbe).
“The pain of Fwinbe’s death is deeper than I have ever known and the grief in me and the family cannot be put into words. It can only be minutely expressed in tears, wailing, lamentations and loud silence “.
According to him, Fwinbe is not a thief and he never stole anybody’s car. Whoever decided to start shouting ‘thief’ and got the mob energized to chase and lynch him is a liar and a murder. The crowd that participated in lynching him are also murderers and Fwinbe’s blood is equally on their hands.
“For avoidance of doubt, the car he was driving belonged to him, purchased in 2021 in my presence and receipted to Fwinbe. All the car registration documents bear his name as well. In fact, since his university days, Fwinbe had always had a car and he could never have need to steal any car.
“As a family, we requested that Fwinbe should abandon Kaduna where he had lived for a few years and return back to Jos due to insecurity in kaduna. We felt our agro endeavours in kaduna were too risky as bandit attacks were getting closer to where he lived and worked. We felt he would be safer back home among brothers. If only we knew our very own Jos brothers would so brutally murder him, maybe we would have left him to stay in Kaduna.”
Wakbul further said what pained the family most was how he died all alone. He was a real people’s guy yet he died alone and abandoned. He had a Dad, a mum, brothers, and a large extended family yet none of them had the chance tell him sorry for his pains and hold his hands and support him as he exited from this life.
According to him, by all accounts it was a very painful death, Fwinbe did not deserve it. We did not deserve it. Nobody deserves this type of bitter pain. He and I were the siblings that most shared a common history. Same primary school (Fatima Private Jos), Same Secondary school (St. Joseph’s College Vom) and same University of Jos. In each of these institutions, he always came in when I am about exiting and I always had the privilege to show him off as my cute younger brother.
He further said the deceased was a brother and friend. “Fwinbe was the best-man at
my wedding. Mum has been inconsolable (Fwinbe has always been her little baby). Dad has been withdrawing away from people and keeping to himself in deep thought (I have never seen the man so heart broken). My grandmother is lamenting in ways that break the heart (He was her best friend).
We the brothers are broken too, we have been weeping like babies but even the weeping doesn’t help.
“A week before this gruesome murder, my mother called to notify me that we were to begin wedding formalities. She asked that I help guide him on how to navigate the process. Amongst his classmates, the VOBA 2006 / VOBA 2007 communities, I am aware of the close friendships he kept and cherished, and how he always tried to keep the spirit alive amongst them. I am sure they will testify.”
Wakbul continued, “On October 5th 2007, Fwinbe, myself, Lapshak and Late Manshak had a ghastly motor accident wherein our car somersaulted off a bridge. We survived but Fwinbe paid the most price as his hip joint had to be cut off and replaced with an artificial hip joint.
He further said his brother carried that pain with him all these years and often needed pain killers and physiotherapy just to get going, stressing that he suspected if his leg had been okay, he may have been able to run to safety.
“Fwinbe has been the corner stone of our indomie distribution business. The bus he was killed in was used by him for indomie distribution and sometimes transport service. He was not a lazy man and he was reliable”.
Wakbul also said the deceased was friends to so many people. Many people have lovely stories of deep friendships and family loyalties with Fwinbe.
“My brother was a fine young man loved by many. He was brutally and senselessly killed by lying and murderous mob. We have been cheated irreversibly.”
Plateau State Deputy Governor, Mrs Josephine Piyo has visited the family of Thomas Fwinbe and commiserated with them over the loss of their son.
Piyo in a statement signed by her chief press secretary, Mrs. Martha Nyam described the death of the young man as painful and regretted that life was snuffed out of him in an inhumane and ungodly manner.
The deputy governor called on security agencies to wade into action immediately and bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.
She further urged citizens of the state to be their brothers’ keeper as the state is known for peaceful coexistence and communal living by all.
Similarly, Simon Gofwan, who spoke on behalf of the family thanked the deputy governor and government of the state for identifying with them in their moment of grief.
Gofwan called on the government to ensure that the killers of their son are arrested and made to face the consequences of their actions.
Also the Tudun Wada Youth Forum (TWYF) condemned in totality, the murder of late Fwinbe Thomas by unidentified Okada riders who are said to have chased him right from Tudun Wada to Domkat Bali junction where they carried out the gruesome act.
The forum in a statement signed by Andy Yakubu secretary general and Lewis Davidson Youth Leader said they are deeply pained particularly, by the way and manner the deceased was murdered. Whatever the surrounding issues are, Fwinbe did not for any reason, deserve to be killed in such a wicked manner in supposedly exposed clime where appropriate authorities are available to handle such matters.
“We call on the security agencies, particularly the Police and the DSS to swing into action immediately by launching a full scale investigation and ensure that no stone is left unturned to make sure that justice is served by bringing all involved in the dastardly act to book to serve as a deterrent to those with future plans of perpetrating such heinous crime”.
According to them as youth leaders in Tudun Wada suburb, they will do their best by cooperating with the relevant security agencies to see that those who have a hand in the murder of late Fwinbe Thomas never go unpunished.
In the same vein, the University of Jos Alumni Association, Plateau state chapter on it’s part condemned the brutal killing of the deceased by some wicked, mindless, reckless and senseless individuals.
A statement issued in Jos by the chairman, University of Jos Alumni Association, Plateau State Chapter,
Gad Peter, called on security operatives to enforce the ban on commercial motorcycle operation in the state.
“We hereby call on the Police and other security agencies to ensure a thorough investigation, arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of this dastardly act. We condemn without mincing words, this uncivilized and barbaric act of jungle justice and we hereby call on all persons to desist from such acts of inhumane behaviour for whatever the reason/Justification may be, the statement added.
However, the Plateau State government has said it observed with dismay the non-adherence to the official 6am to 6pm operation period for tricycle operators and the increasing rate of activities of commercial motorcyclists, which it re-echoed that, it remained banned.
The Commissioner of Information and Communication Hon. Musa Ashoms, made this known after the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting held at the Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos, on Wednesday.
Above all, the spokesman of the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred in a statement issued on Thursday said the Command has arrested a suspect in connection with the killing of Mr Fwinbe.
The statement read in part, “The Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Police Command, CP Okoro Julius Alawari, is miffed and totally condemns the unlawful killing of one Mr Fwinbe Thomas who was found lying in a pool of his own blood along Tudun Wada Ring Road, Hwolshe in Jos.
“Sequel to a report of the incident by a credible informant on 25/09/2023 at about 2230hrs, the Police Patrol Team attached to Anglo-Jos Division swiftly rushed to the scene of the cruel incident where they found the victim lying in a pool of his own blood beside a damaged Suzuki Mini Bus with Reg. No. KWK 536 XA, with multiple injuries on his head.
“The victim is suspected to have been cruelly beaten to death by some hoodlums, suspected to be commercial motorcyclists popularly known as “Okada Riders” whose operation in Jos Metropolis/Bukuru metropolis is illegal.
“Photographs of the victim were taken, the vehicle was towed to the station and the body of the victim was taken to the Plateau Specialist Hospital where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor. The corpse has been deposited at the hospital’s morgue for autopsy.”
The statement assured that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the killers of Fwinbe Thomas.
It added, “The commissioner appeals for calm as the police is already on top of the situation.
“He assures Plateau residents that the perpetrators of the dastardly act will not evade justice as there is no hiding place for evil-doers in the State.
“The Plateau Police boss also sends a stern warning to executors of “Jungle Justice” to desist from such lawlessness as the Command under his watch will not spare any person found culpable of such inhuman act.
“He emphasized the need for citizens to allow law enforcement agencies to take charge of such cases instead of taking laws into their hands.
“Investigation into this case is still ongoing and further development will be made available to the public in due course.
“The CP further uses this medium to inform the general public that the ban on the use of motorcycle popularly known as Okada within Jos Metropolis and Bukuru is still in force”
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