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The governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Barr Natasha Akpoti, Saturday, paid condolence visit to the family of women leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
Mrs Salome Acheju Abuh, who was burnt to death in Ochadamu, Ofu local government area of Kogi State.
Akpoti who paid a condolence visit to the decease family in Abuja described the death of Mrs Salome as horrible, adding that nobody deserves to die in such a manner.
“On behalf of the good people of Kogi state and Nigerian women , I have come here to sympathise with you, she did no wrong for supporting a candidate of her choice, even though we are in SDP, humanity stands before party leanings.
“Everyone was taken aback by the hurrible death of Mrs Salome Acheju Abuh. Nobody deserves to die in such a horrible manner, we and the entire Nigerian women are with you to make sure justice is served.
“No one should be killed in the name of democracy, we can’t believe Nigeria has deteriorated to this state, it is extremely unacceptable.
“I can’t imagine the pains she went through in her last moment, calling for help until her voice was not heard, we are calling on the government to give justice to Mrs. Salome”, she sadaid
Speaking, the husband of the deceased, Elder Simeon Babani Seidu Abuh described his wife death as painful and traumatic adding that the worst has happened to the family as family light has been put off .
Giving the account of his wife’s death, Elder Abuh said, “it all started on Saturday 16th of November 2019, at the Ochadamu primary school polling unit, one Ocholi Edicha in the company of other boys told me that he was going to deal with my younger brother, Gowon Abuh, who is a strong supporter of the PDP, he told us he and others were in the payroll of GYB 4+4. Ocholi Edicha further said that this election is for the APC and there is nothing that anyone can do about it. I politely told him that there was no need for this that we are all brothers, we all drank the same flowing river, went to the same playing ground in the community and we shall still remain in the same community, after politics.
“After casting my vote, I headed home, leaving my wife behind to watch the electoral process as a party leader.
“At about 30 minutes I left, my brother Gowon ran back home to inform me that Ocholi Edicha was beating my wife where she was sitting under a shade observing the process and when he and other people tried to intervene, Ocholi Edicha attempted to stab him (Gowon Abuh) and he had to run back home. As we were still talking one Elder Samuel Salami Agbali brought my wife on his motorcycle to our compound and advised that we rush her to hospital. I took her to Holy Memorial Hospital Ochadamu where she was attended to by one Dr. Agama. She was examined and was given some drugs to take and advised to rest due to the trauma of the attack.
“After the election I returned to Abuja where I reside leaving her behind to rest for few days as advised by the doctor. I was constantly on phone with her. On Monday 18th of November at about 12am my younger brother from Lokoja, Pst. Mark Abuh, called me that there was trouble at home. That Ocholi Edicha and others where in a drinking joint close to our house boasting on how they were going to deal with Gowon our younger brother who narrowly escaped from their attack on Saturday.
“According to his report Solomon, Gowon’s Son, overheard their boasting and pleaded with them on his father’s behalf to forget about the incidence. At this point one of them, Zekeri Awalu picked up a bottle and started pursing Solomon, while pursing Solomon he tripped and fell on his own knife which was stocked around his waist and unfortunately injured himself on the thigh while Solomon ran home to inform his father (Gowon Abuh) of what had ensued, Zekeri Awalu was rushed to Holy Memorial Hospital at Ochadamu.
“After the conversation with my brother, Pastor Mark Abuh, I immediately put a call home to Ojonugwa Alhassan, my cousin, who told me he was at the hospital where the injured person was being attended to. According to him, the hospital, after administering first aid treatment was requesting for a police report before further treatment. While the doctors were waiting for the police report the friends of the injured got agitated and moved him to another hospital where he lost his life.
“When the news of his death filtered into the town, angry APC Supporters came to the town chanting GYB 4+4, and shooting sporadically. People scampered for their lives and the APC Supporters headed to my house where my wife was resting unaware of what was happening in the community, the supporters surrounded my house shooting sporadically and further set the house ablaze and burnt my wife to death and completely burnt down the four buildings in my compound and the houses of other neighbours who are known PDP stakeholders.
“This is our story, Solomon didn’t stab anybody, and my wife was gruesomely murdered for no crime”, he said.
Elder Abuh further disclosed that the arrest made so far was in connection to armed robbery activities which the boys were involved in two days after the murder of his wife which he said the boys confessed to have murdered Mrs Salome upon interrogation at the police station.
He called on the government to give justice to his late wife and and provide enabling environment for him to bury her peacefully.
Also speaking, the younger sister of the decease, Mrs Charity Onuche called on the government to give justice to her sister, describing her late sister as the only star of the family who has been taken care of their aged mother.
Speaking on behalf of her siblings, the last daughter of the family, Ojamalia Abuh said all they are asking for is justice for their mother.
“I want the international organizations, and all women activists in Nigeria to stand up and fight for us to get justice. This injustice must not be swept under the carpet, my mother was a good woman, she was peaceful and did no wrong to deserve the way she was murdered”, she said.
