Widow of the slain personnel of the Special Anti-robbery Squad, SARS, Michael Maji, who was killed by a yet to be identified gunmen in Bori, Rivers State, has stated that her slain husband received threatening text messages and calls days before he was killed.
Beauty Michael Maji, from Khana, in an interview with Sampson Itode, said that her husband’s death was a set-up.
According to her, his killers were monitoring him immediately he left the house and went out to drink with some of his friends.
She disclosed that although she doesn’t know the particular bar he went to hang out with his friends in, she was told that after drinking for a while, he needed some money and he left the place to a bank at Polytechnic Road to withdraw some money from an ATM there. That was when the armed boys followed him. They said his assailants operated in a Toyota Sienna and two bikes. They double-crossed him and killed him on Polytechnic Road.
The 5 months pregnant widow, said in the interview that they had done their traditional marriage on April 29, 2018 and were about to do the court wedding before he was killed.
“We arranged to go to court on Friday, but couldn’t because he was so busy and on Wednesday, he was killed” she added.
“Yes, he told me that he was receiving some threat messages from some people. They were threatening him that they would kill him, but he did not show me the number or messages.
” I believe that envy is the reason behind his death. This is because whenever his team goes out for an operation and catches an armed robber or an armed robber is killed, they will call Michael’s name. That it was him that shot or arrested the person; they would not say it is SARS men or any division; rather they would call my husband’s name.
“I believe that the envy is from his office and some of his colleagues are among; they conspired with cult boys in Bori to kill my husband.
” I was behind a police barrack taking a stroll when I heard gunshots, but I didn’t take it seriously. I asked one of my late husband’s boys that was with me if the sounds were gunshots. But he told me that there was nothing to worry about. However, I suddenly became uncomfortable and decided to return home immediately.
“As I was returning home, my aunt and uncle called my phone from the village, telling me to call my husband immediately. Even one of my course-mates called me, and was saying that she heard that some armed boys shot my husband. Though I was shocked to the extent that I almost fell to the ground, I still doubted all of them. As I managed to get to the station, I saw a crowd in front of it. Many people were crying, but they refused to tell what happened. I felt something was wrong and immediately I called my husband on his mobile, but he did not answer my calls.
“It was a woman that took me to her house and told me that it was not my own husband that was shot. They didn’t tell me anything that day, it was the next day she told me that my husband was shot but that he was still alive. The woman assured me that we would go to the hospital to see him. I later realised that they didn’t want to tell me because of my condition.
“Actually, after my husband’s death, I have not been able to stay in our house because I am scared. The barracks is not secure. I fear that my husband’s killers may come after me and my baby. Some of my husband’s relations have not been supporting me at all. Instead, they are giving me a tough time. They are accusing me of killing my husband, saying I was dragging their brother’s property with them because I wanted mattress to sleep on.
“My brother-in-law, who my late husband used as his next-of-kin, has joined his sister in accusing me that I killed my husband to take his property. If they were in good terms with me, they would not be accusing me of killing their brother in my present condition.
“Members of my late husband’s Southern Kaduna people’s group have been helping me. They contributed money for my feeding and upkeep.
” My husband’s parents are alive although we did not go to the village before we got married. I told my husband that we should meet his people first, but he said his parents would not attend the marriage because they were old. He also said that after the marriage, we could go and see them. It is this month that we planned to see them. Unfortunately, the first time I saw my father and mother-in-law was the day we went to bury my husband in the village. What they told me was that I should bring their baby for them after the child dedication; they did not even care how I was faring.
“I want government to assist me since my husband was serving the country before he died. For the sake of my unborn baby, I would also like to join the Navy so that I can contribute my quota to the development of the country. Also, I will be grateful to anyone who can help me in feeding and accommodation till I put to bed. I will be happy because I don’t have access to my husband’s account. Right now, I am on my own.
“He was from Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State and I am from Rivers State in the Khana Local Government Area.
