Bode David, a 29-year-old mechanic is yet to recover from
being made to spend a night with the corpse of his friend, late Ganiyu, and
drink the water used to wash it, to prove he was not responsible for his death.
The incident, which happened at Isheri Magodo, a suburb of
Lagos, was executed because before Ganiyu gave up the ghost in the hospital, he
kept calling Bode’s name.
Recounting his ordeal, Bode, an indigene of Ekiti State, a
mechanic, who specialized in fixing Japanese vehicles, said: “I knew the late
Ganiyu and Wasiu in January, when I was looking for someone to fix my faulty
Honda car. Continue..
“That was when Ganiyu introduced me to Wasiu to fix my car.
After he fixed my car, I paid him N35,000. Since then, we have had no business
except when our paths occasionally crossed and we exchange pleasantries.
“On Tuesday, Wasiu called me at about 6p.m., saying they
need my help urgently. He said Ganiyu was in the hospital and that they needed
money to purchase pints of blood and drips, which was about N19, 000.
“He pleaded with me to come. At about 7pm, without any idea
that Ganiyu was dead, I drove my car to the junction of their street, called
him on phone that he should come and collect N5,000, which was all that I had
to assist Ganiyu’s treatment at that time.
“When he came to where I parked my vehicle, he said the
hospital was nearby, so we walked towards where he said the hospital is
located.
“As we walked, I began to notice some strange movement in
the vicinity as bad boys filled the area, so I asked where exactly the hospital
was. He said we are taking a short cut to the hospital.
‘’Eventually, the short cut led to a compound. Immediately
we entered the compound, people began to ask me what I knew about Ganiyu’s
death. I told them I knew nothing, but they did not believe me, and they began
to beat me.
‘’When they were beating me, a Baale in the area
interrogated me, told them to stop beating me and to hand me over to the
police, or they might beat me to death and then have two corpses on their
hands. But they refused.
“After beating me, they forced me to sleep on the floor in
the same room where Ganiyu’s corpse was laid to prove that I had nothing to do
with his death. While they were beating me, my phone and the money in my pocket
got missing.
“When they discovered that I was still alive, they washed
his corpse and forced me to drink the water. I refused but they almost killed
me with another round of beating. When it was obvious that I had no option, I
drank it.
“After I drank the water, someone who claimed that he knew
me called the police. The police took me to divisional police station at
Awoshika, before the case was transferred to Area F Command.
“I have nothing to do with Ganiyu’s death. How would I be
responsible for his death when I had no problem with him? All I want is for
government and Nigerians to come to my aid, and bring those who meted this
inhumane treatment to me to justice.’’
In his defence, 33-year-old Wasiu Fadairo, the mechanic who
lured Bode with the call that brought him to the house, said: “I am from Kwara
State. The late Ganiyu is from my home town.
“On May 12, Ganiyu was stooling and vomiting blood, so we
rushed him to a hospital located along Oluwora Road, Isheri in Magodo. He later
died, calling a particular name— Bode.
“After he died, we took him home because none of his
immediate family members or relatives was available. When we called them, they
said they were coming, so we kept his corpse inside his room.
“That same day, neighbours and people living around were
angry, alleging that the name Bode, which Ganiyu kept calling before he died,
was responsible for his death. So they began to call Bode’s phone number.
“When Bode did not come, I called him with my phone and told
him that Ganiyu was lying critically ill and needed blood and drips, and that
we need his assistance.
“When he came, people began to question him concerning what
he knew about Ganiyu’s death. Before he could say a word, they pounced on him
and began to beat him. So I ran to call the police to come and rescue him.
“After police rescued him, they later went to where he
parked his car and vandalized it. I was there when they were beating him, but I
was not there when they forced him to lie beside the corpse and drink the water
used to wash it.”
Confirming the incident, Lagos State Police Public Relations
Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said: “Two friends went out for a drink and one of
them, Ganiyu, took ill after the outing and started stooling.
“He was rushed to the hospital for medical attention, but
died in the process. Angry friends and neighbours, suspecting the complicity of
Bode David, descended on him and attempted to lynch him.
“He was, however, rescued by our policemen and
investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ganiyu commenced
at Isheri Division. But the case has been transferred to the Department of
Criminal investigation, DCI, Yaba, for further investigation.”
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