A businessman, Ali Usman, has been killed by his ex-employee, identified simply as Zubar, and an accomplice, one Rasaq, in the Agbowa Ikosi community in the Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Usman, an indigene of Kwara State, was riding his motorcycle with his son, Sobur, when Zubar and Rasaq ambushed them at a desolate location close to his residence around the General Hospital area in Agbowa Ikosi.
During the ambush, our correspondent learnt that the suspects used sticks to repeatedly hit Usman’s head till he lost consciousness at the scene of the attack.
Thereafter, the suspects left Usman’s five-year-old son unharmed, dispossessed the businessman of his valuables, including the N3.2m found on him, and fled the scene.
Usman’s neighbour, Moshood Sharafadeen, while lamenting over that tragedy, said Sobur, after witnessing the attack, quickly ran home to alert their family members.
In a bid to rescue the 47-year-old victim, Sharafadeen said family members rushed him to the General Hospital in the community, adding that Usman succumbed to his injuries at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital where he was referred to a few days after the attack.
Sharafadeen in an interview with PUNCH Metro said, “The incident happened on May 20, 2024. He was a businessman who dealt in selling meat. On that fateful day, after he finished his work for the day, he closed and was with his child. They both mounted his motorcycle and as he was riding home, they were approaching their destination when Zubar and his friend, Rasaq, ambushed them.
“Both of them used sticks to bang his head till he fainted. They quickly stole his valuables, including money, about N3.2m, and fled without attacking his child. It was the child who ran home to inform his family members that he was attacked and how we got to know the stolen money was up to N3.2m when we spoke to his workers. They confirmed counting the money before he left for his house on the day he was attacked.
“So, he was rushed to the General Hospital, Agbowa Ikosi, and from there, he was referred to the Ikorodu General Hospital but there was no bed space, and from there, he was referred to the LASUTH, where he died while receiving treatment.”
Sharafadeen said when Usman’s child kept emphasising that her father was attacked by Zubar, the case was reported at the Agbowa Police Station where policemen detailed to investigate the case and arrested the ex-employee.
He said, “People initially did not believe the child because he was just five years old and because Zubar was initially living with them until the deceased victim sent him out of his house because he was fond of consuming hard drugs.
“But it was when he was arrested on the same day blood stains were found on his clothes that people started believing that he committed the crime. He was detained and we, alongside the policemen, had to track Zubar’s accomplice down to Ila Orogun in Osun State, where he was arrested.
“It was when we arrested Zubar’s friend that he told us that because Zubar had worked with Usman before, he was aware that he usually went home with a huge sum of money every Monday and decided to attack him on that day. The case and the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department, Panti, Yaba, for further investigations and Usman was buried last Monday.”
Usman’s elder brother, Suleiman, while demanding justice, said he travelled from Ilorin, Kwara State, to Lagos State when he was informed about the tragedy that befell Usman.
“He is survived by 11 children and three wives. Our mother, who is over 100 years old, has been informed and it is affecting her. All we want is justice,” Suleiman added.
One of Usman’s wives, Shukura, who had been traumatised by the tragedy that befell her husband, said she saw Zubar a few minutes before he attacked her husband, adding that she never suspected he had the intention to even harm the businessman.
She said, “We were in a tricycle conveying us home while my husband and Zubar were coming behind us. We got home before my husband but we were still trying to open the gate to enter into the compound when the child ran and alerted us to the incident.”
He had yet to respond to a text message sent to his mobile phone as of the time this report was filed.
Punch
