NYSC mourns as 26-year-old Corps member murdered in Kaduna
//Murder: Godwin Ekosin, Kaduna//
It was a red-letter-day for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and residents of Gambia road, Malali Low Cost, Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria on Monday, 17 October, 2016 night when hoodlums who are suspected to be under the influence of hard drugs shot and matchet to death a 26 years Youth Corp member, Lawal Auwal Kontagora, who had returned from abroad to participate in one year mandatory service to his motherland,
Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Kaduna State Command, ASP Aliyu Usman who confirmed the killing said, investigation has been launched into the case and some arrests already made. He then called on members of the public with useful information that will help to crack down on the killers not to hesitate in providing same to the Command.
Findings revealed that the sad incident occurred when the late Lawal Kontagora and his friend went to visit a female friend known as Murdja who lives along the scene of the incident. While they were inside his Peugeot 407 car, the hoodlums were said to have approached the car and asked them to open the car which they obeyed.
When they alighted from the car, they were asked to be on their knees which they obeyed. The assailants then demanded for their mobile phones. But Lawal had left his own in the vehicle. So, it was gathered that in the process of taking some steps backward hopefully to open the car’s door and give them the phone, they thought he was trying to be smart which led to his been shot at a closed range on his right leg which resulted to breakage of his thigh bone.
Additional information gathered revealed that, the hoodlums have brought sickle knife and used it on his head which resulted into brain gushing out from the damaged head.
However, the partner Murdja ran away and started calling for help, and sensing that people may come to the rescue of Lawal the hoodlums started shooting sporadically into the air to scare away people, before they took to their heel to avoid attack from angry mob who later gathered, ranting, shivering and gnashing their teeth at the scene of the attack.
According to the late Lawal’s sibling, Yusuf Ma’aji Kontagora, when they received the information around 10:00pm, they dashed down to the scene and took Lawal to Garkuwa Hospital along Sultan road where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Lawal who was the first son of Danmaliki Kontagora, Alhaji Lawal Kontagora from his second wife, Hajiya Hafsat Lawal was said to be a gentleman to the core. One of his friends said he can not see any reason why anybody would want to kill Lawal because he’s a friend to everybody.
The deceased who graduated from a university in Malaysia returned back to Nigeria four months ago and commenced his National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) exercise in Kaduna three months ago with an ICT firm, Afrideck located along Ishiaku road, Malali GRA.
The family house of the deceased along Jabi road has become a Mecca of sort as sympathizers kept trooping to the house to register their condolences to the family.
Mother of the deceased who was still in tears said the death of her son is a shock to her, and she’s just praying that it should be a dream.
Reacting to the unfortunate incident, NYSC Coordinator in Kaduna State, Muhammed Momoh described the sudden death of the corps member as a huge shock and a big loss to Nigeria.
According to him, “NYSC has confirmed the death of a corps member who was allegedly attacked by hoodlums at Malali. It is unfortunate that at a time the country is developing potential young Nigerians like Lawal, some people are bent on frustrating such effort.
“NYSC condone with the family of the deceased while tasking the Police and security agents to trail and fix out the perpetrators.
“He was killed not as a corps member though but it is quite unfortunate this is happening now. It is a condemnable act and perpetrators of such heinous act must be brought to book”, added the coordinator.
Malali and Ngwan Rimi have been witnessing attacks like this than any other part of Kaduna metropolis and this is making many expressing worry whether Police are capable of nipping in the bud the menace of hoodlums in the state as they claimed.