A 16-year-old girl was on Friday brought before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos over alleged murder of her boyfriend, Abraham Umaru.
The accused, Elo, had appeared before the Chief Magistrate, Mrs A. O. Adedayo, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.
Her plea was not taken and was remanded at the Special Correctional Centre for Girls, Idi-Araba, Mushin, Lagos.
Adedayo directed that the case file should be sent to the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.
Earlier, Police Prosecutor Chinalu Uwadione told the court that 27-year-old Umaru was shot in the head on August 7 at Cele Bus Stop, Ijanikin, on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
The offences, Uwadione noted, contravened Sections 223 and 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 which stipulates a death sentence for offenders.
The case has been adjourned until Sept. 5 for the DPP’s advice.
The police said Umaru, a bus driver, was set up by his friend who was obsessed with his (Abraham’s girlfriend) Elo.
It was gathered that Abraham was eating at the girlfriend’s mother’s bamboo restaurant when gunmen invaded the place around 9 pm.
They shot the Benue State indigene in the head , killing him on the spot. The case was reported at the Ijanikin Police Station and Elo, was arrested.
A witness, who did not want to be identified, said the gunmen came in a group after Abraham , who plied the Lagos -Badagry Expressway route , parked his vehicle and went to eat .
“He was with his conductor and the owner of the commercial bus when one of the gunmen tapped him on the back.
Another one pushed him and slammed his head against the wall . Then one of them put a gun to his head and shot him dead . Everybody ran away”
The deceased lost his father , a former naval officer , when he was barely six years old .
His foster father , Muhammed Umaru , said Abraham had been receiving threat text messages from some men who asked him to stop his relationship with Elo.
“They told him to leave the girl because she belonged to one of them.
“My son’ s friend , Peter , said the young man behind the messages had once confronted them . I was told that the rival was dark in complexion and had dreadlocks. I told his aunt and uncle , who asked the girl to stay away from Abraham and also warned him to leave Elo alone . But they refused to quit the relationship.”
The deceased’s uncle, Sani Umar, described him as gentle and easygoing.
“He was a calm man and never involved himself in any trouble. This incident is just unfortunate .
The problem was that the girl he was dating had another boyfriend who is a cult member and that was why he was killed . We want justice ; he must not die in vain”
Speaking to newsmen, Elo, said Abraham was her only boyfriend, adding that she could not tell why he was killed.
“He called me last night (Tuesday) , saying he was going to my mum’s shop and if he could wait for me there. I said he should not wait because I was at my brother’ s place in Ajegunle and would not be coming back that night. I told him that we were planning my brother’ s wedding. On Wednesday when I got back home , I was told Abi had been killed . I don’ t know about any threat because he did not tell me about it” she said.
