A widow, Mrs. Bridget Chinwokwu, a native of Ubulu-Uku in Delta State, has appealed to the Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and the Commissioner of Police in the state, Imohinmi Edgal, to fish out the killers of her son and bring them to justice.
Her son, a footballer, Sylvester Chiwokwu, was shot dead at the Alapere area of Ketu, Lagos, while on a commercial motorcycle. Sylvester was shot in the hand by gunmen suspected to be cultists.
Narrating how her son was killed, she said: “I was not there, but I was told by an eyewitness, an elderly man that when my son was on Okada, he was shot in the hand, he fell down and as he was struggling to stand up, one of the gunmen who was in a Toyota Camry car ordered him not to stand up or he will be shot dead. As he was struggling in pains, he asked what his offence was and one of them, identified simply as Femi, said he was always dressing well and has refused to associate with their group.
He commanded other men to finish him. He was stabbed severally. One of them used axe to butcher him. He was shouting for help, but no one came to his rescue.
“My son was not staying in Lagos, he was playing football in Abuja, and planning to go abroad to join a club. He just came into the state a few months ago to help me in some projects. On the fateful day, he had gone to see his sister who lives in Alapere. As he arrived her house, my daughter told him to go back to Ikorodu where we stay as cult groups were fighting and shooting.
He adhered and hiked on an Okada but as he wanted to leave, one of his friends called him on phone and told him to come over to his place from where he intended to leave for Ikorodu. It was on the way to meet his friend that he met his untimely death.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Chike Oti, said: “We are aware of the killing. When our men received a distress call that a man was shot, they gave the vehicle a hot chase and one of the suspects was shot dead while others escaped with bullet wound. We have recovered the operational vehicle, which is at Thomas Police station.
“The vehicle has no number plate. We are trying to know who owns the car and under the circumstances the car reached the hands of the hoodlums. I want to assure the family that as usual, we will get the killers. We will do justice to the matter. We are investigating and we will come to a logical conclusion.”