Jamiu Afeez would have been alive today, but for rising up in defence of his friend, Jonathan, who was attacked by suspected assailants, midnight of Easter Monday. Indeed, if anyone had reservations about the love the late Afeez and Jonathan shared, the celebration marking Easter Monday of 2014, has since changed all that as Afeez paid the supreme price in a bid to rescue his friend, who was attacked by a group allegedly belonging to the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lawani Street, Shomolu, a suburb of Lagos State. The NURTW members allegedly led by one Toba we gathered had clashed with another group led by one Toib Sodiq, both of whom are reportedly said to be rivals leading to a free for all that claimed the life of Afeez, a father of three.
According to checks, the two friends had joined the carnival train until around midnight when Jonathan, an artisan, reportedly informed Afeez that he wants to retire to bed so as to meet an appointment he had at his workshop the following morning. According to the source, Jonathan said to specialize in Plaster of Paris (POP) left immediately while Afeez decided to stay on.
It was gathered that less than 15 minutes after Jonathan left the carnival, some hoodlums, numbering about 20, who had reportedly crossed into the area from the Mushin end of Fadeyi invaded the carnival at Ojo Street in Shomolu area of Lagos State and began shooting sporadically into the air, and vandalising vehicles.
It was learnt that the hoodlums had accosted Jonathan on his way home, mistaking him for a member of the rival group. The gang, it was said, tried to extract a confessional statement of allegiance to their group, but when a confused Jonathan was not forthcoming, they began to torture him.It was gathered that it was while the beating was on that some residents rushed to the venue of the carnival to inform people, including Afeez of the development. He was said to have hurried to the scene and in a bid to prevent his friend from further torture, the gang of terror, who reportedly identified him as a friend to a factional member of the NURTW descended on him, leading to his death. A certain member of the gang simply identified as Muda, it was said, allegedly pulled out a short gun and fired at Afeez at close range. He slumped and died on the spot.
A community leader in the area, Baba General, who claimed to be friend to Afeez’s elder brother, in a telephone conversation with Saturday Mirror explained that the deceased lost too much blood before he was rushed to the hospital as, according to him, the assailants prevented those who wanted to take him to the hospital from doing so.
“Eventually when the situation calmed down a little, Afeez was taken to Oliyide Hospital where doctors on duty confirmed that he was dead on arrival,” Baba General said. Saturday Mirror tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to speak with Afeez’s wife, as she was said to have gone in and out of unconsciousness on hearing of her husband’s death.
In his reaction, Sodiq denied involvement in any Easter celebration, saying he was away in the Republic of Benin. He claimed that he was told the assailants belonged to another faction of NURTW led by one Femi as, according to him, he was bent on taking over the control of motor parks in the area, even as a peace parley was still ongoing. He alleged that the said Femi was in the habit of harassing and torturing those considered as his friends. While the newspaper could not reach Femi for comments, the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Umar Manko confirmed the incident and assured that efforts were being made to bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book. Meanwhile, Afeez remains have been deposited at the Yaba Mortuary