A former Commissioner of Information in Bauchi State, Mohammed Damina, has been arrested for allegedly killing his close friend and neighbour, Adamu Babanta.
According to reports, the incident happened at Yelwan Lebra area, a suburb of Bauchi metropolis on Sunday, October 30, 2022, at about 5.30 pm,
It was gathered that Babanta, a 68-year-old retired civil servant, allegedly caught Damina, with his daughter on the same Sunday evening.
Punch reports that Damina served as commissioner of information and later that of special duties, during the second tenure of former governor, Isa Yuguda.ju
He also holds the traditional title of “Galadiman Dass” in Dass Emirate Council of Bauchi State.
Residents said the accused person called his friend’s daughter on the phone to hook up with him at a location.
A relative of the deceased who did not disclose his name narrated that the ex-commissioner has been making advances at his friend’s teenage daughter.
“Galadiman Dass and my late brother were friends and neighbours. It was alleged that Galadima attempted to have a sexual relationship with the 18-year-old girl, daughter of his late friend. He had been making advances at her by sending recharge cards,” the source narrated.
“The girl reported to her mother who then told the father but he did not believe the story. Then yesterday (Sunday), he called the girl and sent her a message that she should meet him at the Total filling station by 5pm so that they can go out.
“The girl informed her father who then asked her to go as planned and that he will follow her to ascertain the situation. As expected, Galadima was waiting at the point while the father was watching as the girl arrived.
“Galadima asked her to enter the car after he had opened the door but at that point, the father came out and confronted his friend expressing anger. He then tried to run away but there was a struggle between them which led to him pushing the late Adamu out of the car. He hit his head on the pavement of the road, and the back tyre of the car crushed his legs and broke the bones. He died on the way to the hospital.”
Narrating the incident to journalists, Khadija, a senior secondary school student, said that the ex-commissioner got her number from her friend and had been asking her out on several occasions but she declined.
“Yesterday (Sunday) evening, Galadima called me while I was in the shop and asked me to meet him around the Yelwan Tundu market. So, I informed my father, his friend about it and he asked me to go,” she explained.
“I was in a Keke while my father took a bike, when we got there he asked me to enter his car. I said he should wait, then my father came out to confront him. They were dragging his car, he wanted to escape with me, then I came out of the vehicle. He drove roughly with my dad’s hands in his car, trying to turn off the engine. From there he hit him on a pole and he died.”
Khadija said that Galadima zoomed off while the lifeless body of her father was lying on the road.
Meanwhile, the incident caused a protest in the Yelwa area on Monday morning, October 31, as road users were blocked on their way to work.
It took men of the Nigeria Police Force, Army, Civil Defense and the monarch in the area to control the situation.
Spokesperson of the state police command, SP Ahmed Wakil, who confirmed the incident to journalists, said that the Commissioner of Police, Umar Sanda, had directed that the incident be transferred to the command headquarters for discreet investigation.
“Yesterday October 30, 2022, at about 7.30pm, a case of fatal motor accident was transferred from the Yelwa Division for a discreet investigation, it was a case of culpable homicide.
“One Khadijah Adamu Babanta, was enticed by one man, Mohammed Damina, Galadiman Dass, 68-year-old resident of Yelwa. When Galadima enticed her, she told her father about it, then she told the father that the said man was waiting for her at a filling station.
“Her father followed her to the place. On getting there, the father, now deceased, confronted Galadima through the passenger’s side of his car, as they were discussing, Galadima zoomed off the vehicle while the deceased was still hanging on to the car door to a point he fell and was rushed to ATBUTH for medical attention but was confirmed dead by a medical doctor,”the PPRO stated.
“On receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police, Umar Sanda directed all tactical commanders led by the Area Commander, Metro and other DPOs to the scene,” he added.
He said that the suspect is in police custody for an investigation.