It was sorrow, distress and anguish among the PWD Community of Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State last week Wednesday when they were awoken wee hours of morning to news of the sad loss one of them who was accidentally killed by a stray bullet from an unidentified police officer.
The deadly shot fired by security personnel attached to a First Bank branch in the area was an attempt to disperse a rowdy crowd drifting towards a free-for-all fight in front of the bank’s ATM gallery.
INN reports that the victim whose name is given as Musa Bebe Saminaka was said to be on his way to a meeting of the Saminaka Deaf community when tragedy struck.
The inadvertent killing trigerred a mixed reactions within the Nigerian Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) community, especially the Deaf cluster which is still mourning the sad loss of their member.
Mallam Nasiru Abdullahi Zaria, an elder of Kaduna State Association of the Deaf (KASA), speaking on behalf of the PWD community called on authorities concerned to promptly investigate the matter and deal with it according to extant laws.
His words: “we woke up on Thursday, September 29 to sad news of the killing of a deaf man by a police officer attached to First Bank, Saminaka branch. Although according to accounts, the killing wasn’t intentional, that does not mean the culprit will not face justice. We call on the Deaf people of Saminaka in particular and Kaduna State, in general, to keep calm and allow justice prevail. We also call on the Kaduna State Disability Affairs Board, the Nigeria National Association of the Deaf (NNAD) national headquarters, the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) and other relevant authorities to ensure justice is executed for Musa. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.”
When Mohammed Musa Iya, Chairman, Kaduna State Association of the Deaf was contacted for comment on the issue, he disclosed to our reporter how news of the killing got him confused. He promised that drastic action will be taken to ensure justice for the deceased KASAD member.
He narratted “On Wednesday, 28th September, 2022, around 22hrs, I received a text message from the KASAD Zonal Co-ordinator (Zone 1 Senatorial District, Kaduna) about the killing of Musa Bebe in Saminaka Lere Local Government by a policeman attached to First Bank branch. I immediately reported the matter to the State Chairman, Joint National Association of Person with Disability (JONAPWD) Kaduna State Chapter.”
“I also reported same to the Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Disability Affairs Board, the next day which was Thursday 29th September, 2022”.
“After that, I received another text message about the incident, a different story from the first. This left me confused as to which of the story is true. Accordingly, I may not be able to make comments on the incident.”
INN however learnt that the KASAD chairman believed the story after receiving a third message confirming authenticity of the report.
He also noted: “Yesterday Friday 30th September, 2022, I received another message from the Zonal Co-ordinator of Zone 1 in which he informed me that they were at the Police Force Headquarters, Department of CID, for investigation and interrogation on the killing of a KASAD member by a policeman in Saminaka Lere Local Government Area.”
“We are appealing to the Kaduna State Government to set up a strong committee for fact finding on the killed, praying for justice to prevail.”
“We pray that the soul of the deceased member will continue to rest in perfect peace and that Allah grants the family of the deceased fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss”.
Efforts by our reporter to get comments of the Police Public Relations Officer, Saminaka Division, was unsuccessful at the time of writing this report.