How Gunmen Trailed Man Into Toilet After Escaping First Shot And Fatally Wasted Bullets On Him In Delta

The police in Delta State are trying to unravel the circumstances surrounding how some yet-to-be identified gunmen trailed and shot dead the chairman of Udu Harbour Market in Udu Local Government Area of Delta state, Comrade Freedom Odiete, popularly known as Opito.

Eyewitnesses reports say the deceased was ambushed by his killers at Cross and Stop junction, Ekete-Inland while trying to enter the DSC Expressway.

Police source confirmed that the shooting was fatal and that a homicide investigation is now ongoing. 

According to reports, witnesses explained that the gunmen shot at him while he was on steering driving a Pathfinder Jeep and he sustained injury on his left hand.

He, however, managed to escape to a nearby Church and hid himself in the toilet but the gunmen tracked him with the line of his blood and wasted bullets on him severally until he gave up the ghost, the source disclosed.

It was not clear what led to his killing as of the time of filling this report but his corpse was taken away by men of the Nigeria Police, Ovwian Division.

Some accounts say his death could not be far unconnected to the crisis rocking the ownership of the Udu Habour Market between youths in Ovwian and Owhase communities.

According to this account, Owhase and Ovwian communities have been at loggerhead over who controls the market. The late chairman who has been in the center of the brawl had insisted that the leadership of the market would not been divided along community line.

He was said to have survived similar attack last week when gunmen ambushed his car.

One source said; “This is the third time gunmen have gone after him. I was two poles away when I heard the gunshots raining the air. When the gunshots subsided we rushed out only to see that it was Opito (Freedom Odiete) that was killed. He was attacked last week but God being so kind, he survived it.

“We learnt that Owhase and Ovwian communities have been having issues of Udu Habour Market. He has been receiving threats from some persons over the issue”.

He was also alleged to have been attacked last year.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, confirmed the killing of Opito on Monday.

BIGPEN recalls in 2018, Odiete had petitioned the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) through a Warri-based human rights activist, Oghenejabor Ikimi over alleged unlawful arrest and severe torture by a group of soldiers numbering about eight from the 3 battalion, Effurun Barracks.

Trouble started for Odiete following alleged disappearance of a robbery suspect simply identified as Oghenevwogaga Bejeru who was arrested and handed over to him by a group of persons led by two vigilante members in Ogode quarter of Ovwian Town, Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.

It was not however clear if that incident has anything to do with his reported murder.

It would be recalled that in that incident, Odiete, after receiving the suspect, immediately called on phone the Patrol & Guard (P & G) attached to the Nigerian Police Station, Ovwian one Supol Sunny Okunbo who reportedly promised to send his men to pick up the said suspect.

It was learnt that Odiete who double as chairman of Ogode quarter of Ovwian Town, and also a Market Master of the Udu Harbour Market, was reportedly waiting for the arrival of police from Ovwian to pick the suspect when some group of armed men came and whisked the suspect away.

The incident happened on 10th day of February, 2018 at about 11:00pm. according to the petition.