24-year-old man gruesomely murdered on his birthday

A family, whose son was shot dead in Ojuelegba, Lagos, on his 24th birthday, has cried out to police for justice against the assailants who gruesomely murdered their child.

The News Agency of Nigeria gathered that Afenghide George was fatally shot on Nov. 27, few days after an hotelier allegedly threatened him with gun following an argument.

But according to the deceased’s father, Mr Matthew George-Umaigba, the four suspected killers of his son were seen moving about freely in the area.

“It is painful for my son to be killed at his youthful age, yet, the killers are walking freely.

“I want justice to be done in this case. I don’t want my son to die in vain while the killers are moving freely. I am in pain,’’ said the deceased’s father.

Narrating the events leading to his son’s killing, the bereaved father told NAN that on Nov. 25, Afenghide and some friends visited Civic Motel, located at 63, Ojuelegba Road, Surulere.

The hotel is three buildings from the victim’s house.

According to him, the hotel manager, simply identified as Solomon (a.k.a Sanction), accused Afenghide of disrespecting him and an argument ensued.

“Solomon brought out a short gun and attempted to shoot Afenghide.

“My son quickly pull up a table to defend himself and escaped out of the hotel,’’ said the deceased’s father.

George-Umaigba said that some boys, led by one Adams, met his son the following day and accused him of insulting their god-father, Solomon.

“They argued and the gang threatened to deal with him. Later that day, Solomon and five other men came to my house to report my son to me.

“I begged them for forgiveness. My son was however, not happy that they came to report after they have used gun to threaten his life.

“On Nov. 27, at about 8pm, while my son was seeing off a friend, two motorcycles carrying two persons grabbed my son and started shooting him in the head, chest and stomach and left him in the pool of his blood thinking he was dead.

“Some people took Afenghide to LUTH in a tricycle. He was in LUTH for seven days before he died at about 3am the day he was to celebrate his 24th birthday,’’ said the father of the deceased.

According to him, the matter was reported at the Surulere Police Station where Solomon said in his statement that some cult boys he identified as Adams, Musa, Timaya and Idimu, killed Afenghide.

George-Umaigba said Solomon, however, denied masterminding the killing and promised to produce the assailants but failed to do so.

“He even promised to take care of the medical bills.

“After my son died, the police re-arrested Solomon and two others – Ibrahim and Abbas – and detained them at State CID, Panti for investigation.

“The police visited the crime scene, hospital and the hotel for further information but would not release the corpse for burial until autopsy is carried out,’’ he said.

Afenghide, until his gruesome murder, worked with a plastic company in Ijesha, Lagos and was the second child of six children in the family.

The spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident and the arrest when contacted.

Badmos said the police were on the trail of other members of the gang, stressing that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation was concluded.