On Saturday, a 70-year-old retired brigadier general, Uwem Udokwere, was stabbed to death by yet-to-be-identified robbers, who invaded his home at Sunshine Home Estate in Abuja.
A statement by the Spokesperson of the FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh, said the incident occurred at approximately 3 a.m. and that the Police Commissioner, Benneth Igweh, had “promptly ordered a thorough and discreet investigation into the circumstances surrounding the regrettable event.”
Although the police did not give the details of the attack, PREMIUM TIMES was told during a visit to the estate located in the Lokogoma area of the federal capital that Mr Udokwere, a father of two, was stabbed when he was trying to protect his family.
How he was killed
The house security guard, who refused to disclose his name, said he saw three of the robbers trying to force themselves to jump into the compound.
He said upon hearing the disturbing sounds and movement of the robbers, Mr Udokwere opened the door, came down from the top floor of the duplex where his wife and two children were, and was immediately attacked and stabbed.
“I saw three of them, they were trying to open the door and so he came down when he heard the sound of the door. He was stabbed when he came out,” the security man said.
The Vice Chairman of the Estate, Benedicta Odeigba, who spoke with this newspaper, narrated how the general’s wife reached her on the phone when the robbers arrived at their home.
“When they entered, the wife called me on the phone saying that they had entered their house. This is the third time they would attack the house using the same route, the fence (pointing).
“Maybe two weeks ago or something, the wife still called me that they were hearing sounds of some people jumping down from the fence.
“After the woman’s call, I didn’t hear from her again. They hid around while some of them entered,” she said.
Mrs Odeigba further narrated the ordeal of one of the security guards at the main entrance to the estate, Ihakuo Umar.
She said Mr Umar heard a sound from where he was observing his duty that night and demonstrated bravery by running towards the place.
She said unknown to the security man, some of the robbers were hiding inside the gutter.
Mrs Odeigba stated that Mr Umar was tied, dragged on the floor and dumped in a security tank close to the deceased home.
“He heard that something was going on because if you like that part (pointing) you could easily see the whole estate. He saw them and rushed there not knowing they were hiding under the gutter. They hit him on the head. He fell on the floor and lost consciousness immediately. With blood they proceeded to tie him and then dragged him from that place to the security tank where they also taped his mouth in order not to shout,” she said.
Another account given by some residents said five of the robbers whose number could not be ascertained, hid themselves around Mr Udokwere’s house while others waited at the back of the fence they came into the compound.
The residents said three of them entered the compound to rob the family.
According to Chinedu Odeigba, who took Mr Udokwere to the hospital, the general died before he got to the hospital because he had lost a lot of blood.
“When I carried him, his legs had already stretched, and I could feel he was lifeless in my hand. The blood was too much. Even when we took him out of the car, the car was filled with his blood,” he said.
Mr Odeigba, who said he was traumatised by the incident, further stated that he could not identify where the deceased was stabbed because blood had covered his entire body.
While the robbery was going on, a resident, Danladi Umar, said he had phoned the police who responded immediately.
Police make arrests
Meanwhile, the police have arrested four suspects in connection with the robbery and killing of Mr Udokwere.
A report by the Utako Police Division listed the names as Ibrahim Rabiu ‘m’ 33 years old from Dala LGA Kano State and resident at Rasha Apo Roundabout; Nafiu Jamil ‘m’ 33 years old from Tofa LGA Kano, but resident at Apo Pantekar; Aliyu Abdullahi ‘m’ 47 yrs old from Shinkafi LGA of Zamfara State and resident at Apo Roundabout Abuja, and Mohammed Nuhu ‘m’ 28 yrs old from Kumbotso LGA Kano State, also resident at Apo Primary School.
It also said the suspects have confessed to the crime.
Robbery attacks around Lokogoma
Residents who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES said there had been several robbery incidents in the Lokogoma area, especially at the Peace Corps junction, directly behind Mr Udokwere’s residence.
“You don’t want to stay here till 6. If you stay here till that time something else will happen. Everybody in this area knows that, so whenever you are coming in your car at night, you don’t stop or apply a break. If you do, they will rob you and still stab you,” Ozor Chike, a motorcyclist, told this reporter.
“There have been many cases of robbery at that junction and the bush there is contributing to it.”
Danladi Umar said the estate’s residents have been worried about the bush behind the fence of the general’s house.
“Those boys used to make use of the path of the bush to invade the estate and do as they liked. We have been asking for the owner of that path to come and work on the land or do something,” he said.
