Horror: Youths beat community leader to death

[Mirror]

Alhaji Amao Tijani was known in his Anu Oluwapo Estate, Ikorodu, Lagos community as a peace maker. And he was also known to have a passion for pursing amicable settlement of issues without the involvement of security agents. This later proved to be his undoing. How?

The sudden death of Alhaji Amao Tijani, a community leader in Ikorodu area of Lagos State is still causing ripples among his family and neighbours. Until his untimely demise, Tijani was a staunch member of the Anu Oluwapo Estate Community Development Association, in the town.

The deceased reportedly showed rare love for communal harmony and good neighbourliness as he was always at the vanguard of ensuring that lives and property of residents of the community were protected. He was one of the elders of the community responsible for settling disputes and resolving quarrels among residents, at least when it was considered resolvable before matters got to the notice of law enforcement agents. And he had successfully negotiated truce among many a resident.

But his kind-heartedness sent him to an early grave. The peacemaker allegedly met his untimely death in the hands of two brothers, said to be currently assisting security agents to unravel the circumstances that led to the incident.

On Sunday, October 27, 2013, some elders of the community reportedly gathered aiming to resolve an allegation of theft against one of the members of the community. A couple of nights earlier, an apartment in the community was burgled and some property carted away.

Unknown to the burglars, the daughter of the owner of the apartment watched in silence in a corner of the apartment as they carried out their act. The young lady recognised one of the burglars identified as Ayo Bello, a youth in the community. Upon her father's return from work, the girl told him that Bello, was one of those that carried out the burglary in the apartment.

Then the man in company with the daughter went to report the matter to the elders of the CDA of which the deceased was a strong member. As was the practice of the community leaders, they invited the identified thief for questioning on the allegation against him and his gang.

Apparently, in a bid to prove his innocence, the said Ayo heeded the summon of the elders. On that fateful Sunday, Ayo met with the elders to explain all he knew about the alleged burglary case. Speaking with reporters, a member of the CDA, but who craved for anonymity, claimed that Ayo put a call to his brother and some other youths in the community to come to his rescue leading to the calamity that was to follow.

According to the CDA executives, "The death of Alhaji remains strange to everyone present at the meeting and to those who knew him well. It was like the devil was at play that day. Here was a man that was hale and hearty before we started the meeting. What happened was that we received a complaint from one of the residents, claiming that some youths in the community broke into his apartment.

"The daughter of the man who laid this complaint recognised one of the boys as Ayo and we invited him (Ayo) before the CDA executives to tell us what he knew about the allegation."

The AnuOluwapo CDA chieftain claimed that the said Ayo was right on his knees in front of the elders to answer the allegations against him. While he was on his knees, Ayo reportedly brought out his mobile telephone set and called someone who later turned out to be his own brother.

Continuing, the CDA chieftain said, "Ayo was in front of us ready to answer our questions but he picked his mobile phone and made a call. As we were waiting for an answer from him, some boys led by Ayo's brother, Taiwo, rode in on two Okadas (commercial motorcycles) to the venue of the meeting. The boys were like six in number and they ordered Ayo to get up and follow them.

The boys did not bother to greet us or ask why Ayo was being questioned. They disrespected the elders and even slapped Ayo to stand up and follow them," the elder maintained.

The elders were irked by this and so reportedly moved to refrain them from taking the suspect with them. While trying to prevent Taiwo and his cohorts from taking Ayo out of their presence, the youths reportedly pounced on the elders and allegedly gave them the beating of their lives. It was during the beating that Alhaji Tijani reportedly slumped.

Though efforts were made to save his life as he was rushed to a hospital, Tijani died moments after. He had since been buried according to Islamic injunctions. On learning the gravity of their beating of the elders, particularly the one that slumped, the youths took to their heels. The matter was reported at a nearby police station and law enforcement agents soon nabbed Taiwo and Ayo, his brother.

The case is said to have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, at Panti, Yaba for thorough investigation. A source at SCID Panti, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the incident and arrest of the brothers, but declined to give details of investigations. "The matter is before us at the moment and you will hear details as investigations go on," were his only words.