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From Paul Orude, Bauchi
The family of an Islamic teacher allegedly stabbed to death by suspected Sara-Suka thugs in Bauchi State has lamented that the suspected killers remain at large a week after the incident, urging security agencies to ensure justice is served.
Speaking to The Sun, the deceased’s sister, Jamila Dauda, said the family was losing confidence in the justice system because no arrests had been made despite the identities of the suspects allegedly being well known in the Karofi Madaki community.
She alleged that her 42-year-old brother was ambushed and stabbed three times while returning home after a dispute linked to political campaign posters pasted on a family property. According to her, he died before reaching the hospital despite frantic efforts to save his life.
Jamila said the attack followed weeks of threats after her late brother challenged some youths who had allegedly pasted campaign posters on the family’s building without the consent of all family members. She claimed that one of the youths had openly threatened to kill him after the disagreement.
“The killers of my brother are still out there. We need justice. If they are arrested and prosecuted, it will prevent such incidents from happening again. If there is no justice, these boys will continue to believe they can take lives without consequences,” she said.
The bereaved sister disclosed that the late Islamic teacher left behind his wife, Umaimatu, and five children, describing him as the family’s breadwinner and a respected cleric who devoted his life to guiding young people.
She, however, commended Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed for paying a condolence visit to the family and assuring them that those responsible for the killing would be brought to justice.
Jamila appealed to the governor and the Commissioner of Police to ensure the suspects are apprehended and prosecuted, insisting that justice for her late brother would also serve as a deterrent against violent crimes allegedly committed by suspected Sara-Suka gangs in the state.
Speaking with The Sun correspondent by telephone on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habibu, assured the family and the public that the police were on the trail of the two principal suspects in the killing.
“We have been trailing them from one place to another. Anywhere we receive information, we will follow it up and will not relent until we get them,” he said.
The Police Public Relations Officer urged members of the public to alert the police promptly whenever criminal incidents occur, lamenting that no one informed the police when the confrontation between the deceased and the suspects began.
“When the incident happened and the deceased was rushed to the hospital, and even when his body was taken home for burial preparations, nobody informed the police. It was only later that a Good Samaritan, who knew the hardworking nature of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area, called him to report what had happened,” he said.
The police spokesman said preliminary investigations revealed that the principal suspect was able to pack his belongings and flee the area without being challenged.
“The information available to us is that the suspect packed his bag and left his house immediately after the incident without anyone stopping or arresting him. Members of the community ought to have alerted the police immediately, but nobody did, and he escaped.
“The police are working tirelessly to track him down. There are two principal suspects involved in the attack. One allegedly stabbed the deceased while the other assaulted him. We are making progress in our investigation, but we also need the public to assist us with credible information on the whereabouts of the fleeing suspects.”
The police appealed to residents to promptly report crimes and provide useful information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects, assuring them that efforts were ongoing to bring everyone connected with the killing to justice.
