How A 22-Year-Old female Student Was Killed By An Okada-Man, Unknown To Her Was A Cannibal

ON May 2, when Idowu Aliyu decided to 
embark on a trip from her town, Egayi back to Zamfara where she’s
studying in the School of Health Technology, little did she know that will be the last time she would see her family. 

It was gathered that the late
Idowu got an okada to convey her to the park which was driven by Jimoh
Obabu Salau. But unknown to her, Jimoh was an okada man with an
ulterior motive. Midway through the journey, Jimoh Obabu drove
into the bush where he took his time to kill her. To achieve his aim,
it was gathered Jimoh smashed a stone against the innocent victim and
subsequently ensured she breathed her last.

Idowu would have gone to the world unknown without people knowing what killed her but providence presented a farmer who was watching from a close distance
where Jimoh had taken the victim for the act. The farmer quickly
mobilised people to the place where Jimoh was caught trying to bury the
victim. He was apprehended and handed over to the police.

Jimoh
confessed being  responsible for the death of the 22-year old Idowu
but the confession is causing a lot of controversy. Jimoh specialises
in using okada to lure victims to the bush where he  kills them for
meat and sell the remaining part to ritualists.

The
police are of the view that Idowu’s death is not only for meat but has
a ritual angle to it. Parading the suspect, the state commissioner of
Police, Muhammed Katsina  said Jimoh Obabu Salau was arrested while
trying to bury his victim, Idowu Aliyu, a student of School of Health Technology, Zamfara, aged 22 years.

Kastina revealed that “the suspect was dismissed from the Army while on ECOMOG duties in Liberia after showing
cannibalistic behaviour. He was also arrested and sentenced to death
in 2003 for  killing his wife and two kids; eating their intestine and
selling the remaining parts. The suspect was however released from
Kaduna prison through the aid of influential, wealthy and highly
connected individuals.”

Ever since this revelation , the
whole state has been clouded in suspense. While some believe that
Jimoh is only looking for ‘meat’, others believe that a popular
politician who is seeking election is Jimoh’s sponsor. Those who are
alleging political undertones to the murder of Idowu by Jimoh hinged it
on the fact that Jimoh had been very close to the politician who is
among the top contenders for the SSG office since it was zoned to the
area.

Jimoh
also appears to be complicating the matter. While not arguing that he
is guilty, he is said to be singing a new song. Jimoh, Saturday
Vanguard gathered, allegedly claimed the victim was brought to him to
kill by two other men from the town rather than the popular assumption
that he picked her with his okada. Jimoh has since mentioned more than
six names of those who ‘brought’ the lady to him.

Police investigations revealed that the  first two persons Jimoh mentioned their names were innocent. When further prompted, Jimoh allegedly mentioned other names
which the police discovered were unconnected to the act as well. As at
the last count, Jimoh who is now behaving abnormal has implicated 
eight people as his accomplices in the alleged murder.

Presently,
police are in a tight corner over how to unravel the truth behind
Idowu’s death. Is it a political or ritual killing or Jimoh’s way of
feeding his cannibalistic appetite?

However,
the family of late Idowu Aliyu is now calling for justice. They are
calling on the federal government and police to ensure that the killer
of their daughter did not go unpunished. Head of the family, Mr Aliyu
Onuto, who spoke with Saturday Vanguard in his compound in Egayi,
Ajaokuta said late Idowu was killed on her way to board a vehicle to Zamfara state where she was schooling.

Mr.
Aliyu noted with dismay that although the suspect has been arrested 
and he has confessed to  committing the crime, he is yet to be charged
to court for prosecution. “Idowu had dreams but could not live to
actualise her dreams due to blood thirsty Jimoh. I understand he killed
his wife (a police officer) in 2003 and was let off  the hook without
punishment. If justice had prevailed that time, this would not have
happened. “Today it is Idowu, tomorrow it might be another person. All
that we want is for justice to be done,” he said.

Mr. Aliyu, the uncle of the slain victim who revealed that the late
Idowu and her siblings lost their parents recently and that he has
suffered to take care of her along with her younger siblings wondered
why Jimoh could take the life of his innocent niece who was  promising
and looked as if she would  aid the family after graduation.

The
state police command is however saying the delay in prosecuting Jimoh
Salau is due to the fact that they believed he must have accomplices
who buy some of the human parts from him as he could not have been alone in the crime.

The
state Police Commissioner, Mohammed Katsina said the cannibal who was
dismissed from the Army usually  eats the inside of his victims and
sells the other parts to ritualists and  “so, the command is still
investigating to get  those buying the human parts from him”.

VANGUARD