Family demands justice over murdered pregnant woman

The family members of a pregnant woman Mrs Asabe Obaje, who was recently murdered at Odogomu in Ankpa local government area of Kogi State, have demanded for justice over the killing.

The family raised the alarm over the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the police in the area towards the incident.

Already three people have been arrested in connection with the crime said to have been committed on July 12.

The spokesperson of the family, Mr Paul Obaje, explained that the woman was returning from Odogomu to her Ofano village at about 6pm on the fateful day that she was gruesomely murdered.

The mother of six was waylaid and killed by some criminal elements while her body was also dismembered.

According to him, the deceased was macheted to death, adding that one of her legs was cut off and her neck slit before she was dumped by the roadside in the pool of her blood.

Obaje described the killing as barbaric and inhuman, adding that the deceased who was pregnant with twins died alongside with the unborn babies.

Obaje however added that three suspects believed to be connected to the crime were arrested by the police and detained at the Okaba police out post.

He gave the names of those arrested to include Hassan Ismaila, Abraham Abdul and  Oko Momoh. 

The spokesperson however expressed concern over the manner with which police in the area were handling the matter with, saying the development had made some members of the family to approach the police to demand for justice over the matter.

Obaje alleged that following the demand for justice, the police raided the family house of the deceased and arrested some family members namely Ismaila Yakubu, Abdullahi Yakubu, Haliru Yakubu, Idris Usman and Yusuf Usman.

He said that the family members were locked up at the Ankpa Police Division for three days before they were later released upon the payment of N30,000.  

Obaje, who decried the development, called on state commissioner of police to ensure that the culprits in the matter don’t escape justice.

Commenting on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kogi Police Command, Mr Williams Aya, said that the suspects were already in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Lokoja.

According to him, the case was culpable homicide that the command would ensure that justice is done to also the parties.

Aya said that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

On the arrest of the deceased’s family members, Aya said that those arrested had gone to the police and demanded the suspects arrested should be released to them for jungle justice.

He however, said that the allegation that money was collected before releasing those arrested was not true.