It was a foul murder. Engr. Hassan Sabo Jama’are was attacked in front of his residence and stabbed to death, causing shock in Bauchi metropolis, as our correspondent writes.
Sunday was a day like any other for Engineer Hassan Sabo Jama’are until he finished his business and was about driving into his house at Tudun Salmanu area of Bauchi, when hoodlums set upon him.
They stabbed him seven times and made away with his vehicle, leaving him bleeding to death at about 10 pm.
Engr. Hassan was a former Director of Works at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi.
He had travelled to Kano earlier that day and returned at about 5 pm.
He spent the rest of the evening at his friend’s place, where he observed the Maghrib and Isha prayers before driving home to his death.
Usually, when he arrived, he called a family member to open the gate for him to drive in.
But that night, he stepped out of the vehicle to open the gate himself.
“That is how the criminals got the opportunity to attack him,” his older brother, Alhaji Suleiman Sabo Jama’are told Daily Trust.
Despite being rushed to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, there was little doctors could do for Engr Hassan and he died soon after.
“We are not sure of the motive behind the killings but we suspect that the hoodlums were trying to rob his vehicle and when he resisted, they stabbed him several times,” Alh. Suleiman said.
“They stabbed him in seven places including his neck, chest, rib, stomach and shoulders,” he said.
A neighbour, who gave his name as Abdullahi, told Daily Trust that the criminals were four and had jumped on Engr. Hassan when he got down to open his gate.
“The deceased cried for help when the criminals surrounded his vehicle but no one came to his rescue until after they had left that neighbours came out and together with his family members rushed him to the hospital,” he said.
Engr. Hassan had screamed for help during his attack but the noise from the generator had prevented family members from hearing.
Engr. Hassan was a pioneer founding member of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and had contested for a seat in the House of Representative in 2011 and 2019.
Since the last elections, his family said, he had abandoned politics for academia.
His funeral at the Ibn Abas Juma’at Mosque, BRC Quarters, Tudun-Tudun Salmanu, drew many prominent personalities in the state, including senior government officials, traditional rulers, and management of ATBU, academics, politicians from within and outside Bauchi State.
They escorted his remains to the Dungulbi Burial Ground at the outskirt of Bauchi metropolis where he was interred.
Hundreds of sympathisers, including relatives, colleagues and others have continued trooping to the residence of Engr. Hassan to pay their condolence.
“Late Hassan is a very humble, simple gentleman who didn’t argue with anyone,” Alh. Suleiman said.
“Whoever knows him will attest to his good character and simplicity.
“He is a very generous person to family members, neighbours and the public and that is why we are still in shock and wondering what the motive behind the attack was.”
He believes the criminals parked their car some distance away, trekked to the scene of the crime and attacked Hassan.
He described the deceased as a principled and honest man, who earned the nickname “Hassan Bature.”
He had spent 15 years studying in Russia.
“He is a God-fearing man who always adhered to and observed his religious obligations and always smiled at people he knew and those he didn’t,” he said.
Alhaji Nasiru Garba Aminu, Magayakin Bauchi, a friend of Hassan’s, had been with him just two hours before the attack.
“We were together for almost 40 years back and had prayed the Magrib and Isha prayers before he left for his house,” he said.
“I am deeply worried about the killing of my best friend whom I know as a trustworthy person, a kind-hearted man who cared for the people.
“We don’t know why they trailed him and their reason for the murder but we pray Allah grants him Aljannatul Firdaus.”
Aminu described the deceased as a very jovial man who jokes with people around.
“I remember our last moment that faithful day when he was about to leave and I asked him to give me his new cap and he said, noted.
“I jokingly told him that noted is a word used against contractors being a contractor, he laughed.
“We pray that security operatives will do their job to arrest the perpetrators and unveil the reason behind this ungodly act,” he said.
For Nana Asmau Hassan, 17, losing her father that day was devastating, not only for her but the entire family.
“We are currently in deep shock and grief of losing the pillar of the family, a very caring father who showed love, affection to all the family members as well as members of the extended family,” she said.
“We are saddened by his death because nobody knows the reason why they carried out their brutal mission except God.
“It will be hard to get his replacement, especially his attitude towards everyone in the house,” she said.
For Nana, emulating her father’s simplicity, patience and honesty are now her life’s goals.
“I will live to remember my father for everything because he loved me beyond my thinking and the affection between us could not be quantified,” she said.
Nana was very close to her father.
She was named after his mother and because of that, she was given special regards in the house, especially when it came to asking favours from him.
“Everyone in the house, including my mother stepmother, will use me to ask him for favours and he had never said no or rejected the request.
“We will continue to pray Allah to grant him Aljannatul Firdaus,” she said.
The Bauchi State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmed Mohammed Wakili, said the gang stabbed the deceased with knives while he was trying to enter his house at about 10 PM Sunday.
“After stabbing him, the robbers went away with his car, Honda Accord with registration number, EKY 388 CP.
“After the robbers left, his neighbours and family members took him to the hospital where he was confirmed dead.
“The incident was reported to the police at “C” Division, and the police promptly responded and conducted a search in the area but could not see any of the robbers,” he said.
Wakili, however, noted that the command investigating the murder robbery.
When contacted, the Vice-Chancellor of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Professor Muhammad Ahmad Abdulazeez described the death of the deceased as a tragic loss to the university.
“The deceased has been an excellent person who contributed immensely to the development of the university,” he said.
The VC who spoke through the Register of ATBU, Dr Garba A Hassan, said that the management of the university, led by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, Professor Ibrahim Danjuma, was at the residence of the deceased and took part in the funeral prayers and paid condolences to his family,
“Even today (Tuesday) the management of the university was at the residence together with his family receiving sympathisers,” he said.
