Soldier ‘kills, buries’ cobbler in Lagos

Dan Baba, a soldier from Giwa barracks in the Ikoyi area of Lagos, has allegedly killed and buried Kabiru Rabe, a cobbler, operating still in Ikoyi.

Acording to NAN, the deceased family has petitioned the army and police authorities to demand for investigation into the killing.

The petition said to be signed by one Kabiru Lawal, claimed that the soldier was in the habit of picking up cobblers for the purpose of doing menial jobs in the barracks.

The victim and four of his colleagues were reportedly at their place of trade at Falomo round about on December 21, when the soldier arrived.

“On December 21, 2015, a soldier known as Danbaba (aka Sgt. Kurfo), usually come to where we shine shoes because we are cobblers and arrest us,” the petition read.

“He will take us to the barracks to do farm work or clean their gutters. This is the duty we have been doing for a very long time.

“Any complaint from any of us will attract severe beating and other punishment. The names of those taken from there are Hamza Abdullahi, Nuradeen Bala, Uzairu Yahaya, Alhassan Danladi and Kabiru Rabe, now deceased.

“Sgt. Dan Baba came to raid us as usual; coincidentally Kabiru Rabe was wearing a phone ear piece and did not hear the soldier’s calls.

“That was the offence which made the soldier to start hitting him with a stick till he fell down and the soldier continued to step on him till he gave up the ghost.

“Sgt. Dan Baba took the body to Falomo Police Hospital on a motorcycle and Rabe was confirmed dead.

“He brought a bus and moved the corpse to Polo Club, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi and ran away to his barracks.

“When we went to the barracks, Danbaba and five other armed soldiers chased us away.

“They called LASEMBUS Ambulance, which they entered to move the corpse to Military Hospital mortuary, Awolowo Road.

“On December 22, 2015, Danbaba and his colleagues went to the hospital to retrieve the corpse to an unknown destination. Nobody from Giwa barracks told us anything.

“We want to bury our son according to Islamic way.

“We appeal to you to investigate the killing and the where about of the corpse.”

However, Dolapo Badmus, spokeswoman of the Lagos state police command, said the man-hunt of the soldier has begun.

She said Baba likely buried the deceased without the consent of his family, adding that everything possible would be done to arrest the suspect.

“We are at a high-level in the investigation. The State CID, Panti is investigating. As at now, the identity of the soldier has not been known,” she said.

“We are working with the army authorities with a view to identify and know the formation the suspect is attached to.

“We have assured the family of the deceased that the suspect will be found.”