MINDLESS MURDER OF COLLINS BAKWUYE: FAMILY ALLEGES PLOT TO SWEEP THE MATTER UNDER THE CARPET
By: STANLEY MBULU
May 23, 2024
The friday, that commences the Easter weekend is called ‘Good Friday’ and for christians all over the world, it is observed in memory of the day the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified at Calvary and resurrected on the third day, thousands of years ago.
Unfortunately, for the Bakwuye family in Umunede, Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State, this year’s edition of ‘Good Friday’, could be referred to as a ‘Bad Friday’ and one they may never forget, through out their lifetimes.
On friday, the 29th of March, 2024, Mr Collins Bakwuye, an old student of Ede Grammar School Umunede and Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, respectively, woke up hail and hearty that morning and was optimistic of the day as he hoped to reunite with his old friends for the Easter holidays.
They had all planned to travel to Onicha Ugbo in Delta state, from Lagos, in a colourful convoy, because one of them was planning to do a ‘house warming ceremony’.
That fateful day, Collins was filled with an unusual excitement as he
wished his beloved wife and children a ‘Happy Easter’ in advance and waving to them, he bade them farewell, but little did he know that he was waving his family for the very last time.
He had joined his friends in his own vehicle to form an entourage of about six vehicles at there agreed meeting point, somewhere at ShopRite, Sangotedo, Lagos, where one other person was asked to join him in his vehicle.
In the course of the journey, while at Ijebu-ode in Ogun state, the vehicle being driven by Collins, began to malfunction and stopped along the Benin/Sagamu expressway.
Unfortunately, that was the last time his family heard of him.
Suddenly, the news of his death filled the air as his friends alleged that he was knocked down by a fast moving heavy duty truck, while alighting from his stationary vehicle but another information has it that he attempted climbing on a moving heavy duty vehicle but slipped, fell under the tyres and was crushed.
Later, a video of the victim, lying on the ground, in a shrubbery place that was visibly off the expressway was circulated online. Late Mr Collins Bakwuye in the video had only his legs severed and mutilated which ignited some suspicions, considering the story being told about him being knocked down by a heavy duty vehicle.
Having sleepless nights over the sudden and painful demise of their youngest brother, especially the skepticisms surrounding the stories as narrated by his friends, the siblings of the deceased decided that the matter be subjected to full scale Investigation by the police.
At the Ijebu-ode Police Division, the experienced DPO at seeing the victim’s lifeless body, suspected a murder case and immediately referred the matter to the Homicide Department of the Ogun State CID, where it was later transferred to the Zone 2, Police Zonal Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos State.
Two suspects were initially arrested and they included the other occupant of Collins Bakwuye’s vehicle on the day of the incident, as well as the celebrant, whom they were all accompanying to his Onicha Ugbo resident.
While at the Police Zonal Headquarters in Lagos, they allegedly made some mouth-watering offers to the IPO and his investigating team and paid their way out of detention.
They were immediately granted bail by the police, who were fully aware that they are not based in the country and as at the time of putting together this report, their whereabouts remain unknown.
The matter was now lifted and placed on the head of a truck driver, whom according to their allegations, knocked down the victim, but AniomaReporters reliably gathered that the truck driver had initially denied any knowledge of the accident, claiming that he was falsely indicted and accused.
Dissatisfied and disappointed with the conducts of the policemen in Zone 2, Lagos, the siblings of the deceased vowed to resist any attempt to twist or sweep away the matter via any influence or affluence whatsoever.
They subsequently took the matter to a higher authority at Abuja, the nation’s capital for an advanced and proper re-investigation assignment.
Meanwhile, the Zone 2 policemen in Lagos, who had allegedly compromised at sensing the dissatisfaction and determination of the complainants to get to the root of the matter, quickly referred the case back to Ogun State Police Command, giving strict orders for the immediate and swift arraignment of the now indicted truck driver for alleged dangerous and reckless driving, leading to the death of Mr Collins Bakwuye.
According to the Bakwuye’s, this sudden and fasttracked arrangement was orchestrated in order to frustrate further investigations on the alleged murder case.
The Complainants through their lawyer had put up a petition in that regard registering their displeasure and disapproval with the action of the police and asking several questions that are yet to be answered, even as at the time of filling this report.
▪️Who killed Mr Collins Bakwuye and what was the motive behind such heinous act?
▪️ Why are several attempts at autopsy on the deceased clearly avoided and frustrated, despite the readiness of the family to financially shoulder the expenses?
▪️Why is the eye witness account of the Towing Van driver who claimed that he saw Collins and the first suspect fighting, being ignored ?
▪️ Why is the Doctor’s report concerning the primary cause of death from the Ijebu-ode hospital where Collins was confirmed dead not given any form of attention or consideration.
▪️Why is the heavy duty truck that allegedly knocked down the deceased not identified nor impounded for Investigation as required in a matter like this?
▪️Where is the forensic analysis from the Vehicle Inspection Office on the truck corroborating the claim that it was that particular vehicle that killed Collins?
▪️ What is the intention surrounding the hasty release from detention, the two prime suspects in this matter, made up of the companion in the vehicle and the celebrant for whose sake the journey was embarked, without proper Investigation ?
▪️Why are the team of police Investigators not interested in visiting the scene of crime to make the necessary enquiries and some physical findings?
▪️Why are the mobile phones of the deceased and that of the prime suspects never retrieved, investigated nor analysed for possible clues to the motive behind the murder as alleged?
Worst of all in this whole saga was the attitude of Collins’ friends whom were all together with him on the trip that fateful day after noticing that Collins’ vehicle broke down, callously decided to abandon him to his fate and proceeded to Delta state without him.
As if that was not enough, the celebrant went ahead to organize an elaborate and grand house warming party, after they have all porpurtedly learnt of the demise of their friend, who was supposed to be with them at the event.
Mr Collins Bakwuye was a gentleman, quiet and peace loving husband, father of two and a breadwinner, whose resourceful life has been cut short in a very mysterious and nefarious way.
The circumstances surrounding his death must be unearthed and sunbathed, so that the family can finally put the matter behind them and move on.
This is a clarion call on the hierarchy of the Nigerian Police, including the Inspector General, other security agencies, stakeholders of justice, NGOs and other related organizations accross the country, to quickly nip at the bud of this matter and ensure that the proper thing is done.
Justice must be done!