By Brave Dickson
The state Islamic Leader and Vice President General, Rivers State Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Nasir Awhelebe Uhor has narrated how a bureau de change Muslim was allegedly killed on Tuesday around the Hotel Presidential axis of Port Harcourt by men of the state taskforce on illegal street trading and motor parks.
The state Islamic leader also urged the police to thoroughly investigate the killing and make their findings public.
In an interview with our correspondent, Alhaji Uhor said: “Regarding this unfortunate incident that happened yesterday (Tuesday), though the state government taskforce on illegal street trading and motor parks has come up to deny any wrong doing, saying they are not responsible for the killing of our brother.
“But facts so far at our disposal indicated that there was a raid by men of the state taskforce on illegal street trading and motor parks.
“We were also told that this particular raid wasn’t the first. There has been series of raids.
“So, when the taskforce executed this particular raid on our bureau de change brothers around Hotel Presidential, our brothers there were able to identify them as men of the state taskforce on illegal street trading and motor parks.
“So, whether the state government or its agency denies it or not, the fact is that this our deceased brother was among those arrested and whisked away by the state taskforce during the raid.
“He was hale and hearty when the state taskforce whisked him away.
“It was when the state taskforce noticed that he had died in their hands, they quickly brought him back and dumped him on the road.
“I’m glad that the police have stepped in and I learnt they have made some arrest but it shouldn’t end there.
“The police should be able to tell us who they have arrested in connection with the killing of our brother.
“Coming out to deny the killing of our brother by the state taskforce, is unfortunate because if the final analysis turns out to be true, it will erode the confidence that the public has on the state government and its agencies.
“As far as we are concerned, we condemn the killing of our brother and we urge the police to go all out to give us justice.”
Our correspondent reports that the deceased whose name was yet to be ascertained at the time of filing this report had since been buried in accordance with the Islamic rites.
