Reactions trail killing of vendor by Gbajabiamila’s aide

Reactions are trailing the reported killing on Thursday of a newspaper vendor in Abuja by a security aide to the speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

The vendor, identified as Ifeanyi Chukwu, was said to have been shot dead by a stray bullet when one of the security aides attached to the speaker fired shots to disperse a crowd when the speaker was exchanging pleasantries with some vendors at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja.

• Vendors protest killing of colleague by Gbajabiamila’s aide
• Newspaper distributors, vendors condemn police harassment in Rivers

This came exactly a month after the Lekki alleged shootings in the wake of the EndSARS protest in Lagos.

Many Nigerians who took to social media to express displeasure about the alleged killing of the vendor described the incident as a replica of Lekki killings by the Nigerian security operatives, even as they called for a probe of the speaker, Gbajabiamila.

According to Sammy Desh @Deshysmalls “If Femi Gbajabiamila doesn’t produce who took the shot, then he should be held responsible for the murder of that vendor.

Tope Akinyode@TopeAkinyode said “The police must immediately arrest Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, take him into custody for interrogation & prosecute him within 48 hours. Mr Speaker is not protected by any immunity under the Nigerian laws. The killers of a street vendor in Abuja yesterday must be brought to book.

Series Abíọ́dún ☻@Engr_Series “Femi Gbajabiamila said the security operatives shot in the air, same way they claimed the soldiers shot in the air on 20/10/2020… You shot live rounds in the air and then act surprised when stray bullet kills someone. How about y’all just stop shooting??!!

Tope Akinyode @TopeAkinyode “Ifeanyi Okereke didn’t die because hoodlums “hijacked” the #EndSARS protest. Rather, he was killed in an extra judicial manner by police operatives attached to Mr Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila. Today, exactly 1 month after the #LekkiMassacre, the #EndSARS protest is justified.”

Aide suspended

The security aide had been suspended after the incident, Gbajabiamila confirmed in tweets he posted afterwards.

The vendor who was reportedly shot in the head, was rushed to the National Hospital, Abuja, where he later died.

The chairman of the Abuja chapter of the Newspaper Distributors Association of Nigeria, Benjamin Obute, narrated the incident to Daily Trust thus: “What happened was that, at the Federal Secretariat where our vendors sell their papers, you know that place is the heart of Abuja, especially the rep members and senators, that is their route, and traffic lights used to stop them for about two minutes.

“So, while they were hailing them, they used to pack some money and give them. It has been the tradition for years now. Gbajabiamila knows this late Ifeanyi Chukwu one on one.

“While he (the speaker) was waiting for the traffic light to turn green, he handed over N9,000 to his aide in the front seat and handed over the money to them before one of the security details shot him (Chukwu) in the head and shot into the air.

“The speaker stopped and asked what happened, but the police told him nothing and they moved on. The DPO at the Federal Secretariat was one of the persons that arranged how we took late Ifeanyi to the National Hospital where he was confirmed dead.”

Obute said his members would protest on Friday and march to the Force Headquarters to demand justice for their late colleague.

A doctor at the hospital said: “A vendor was shot in the head by a security operative this afternoon. He died after all resuscitative measures at the National Hospital failed.”

Speaker distraught

Gbajabiamila, in a statement, said he was distraught by the incident.

“I stopped as usual to exchange pleasantries with the newspaper vendors at the corner. Many of them have known me since I first moved to Abuja and it was a friendly exchange.

“Unfortunately, after the convoy set out in continuation of movement, unidentified men obstructed the convoy which got the attention of security men in the convoy who shot into the air to disperse them.

“Some hours later, after getting to our destination, it was brought to my attention that someone was hit by a stray bullet, contrary to an earlier report by men in the convoy that they applied their security discretion to shoot in the air. I have caused a report to be made to the local police station and an investigation has commenced,” he said.