Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have reportedly shot and killed a 28-year-old tailor identified as Nurudeen Quadri in Osogbo, the Osun State capital. The tragic incident, it was gathered, happened on Wednesday, when the operatives attached to anti-cultism squad of the state Command broke into Quadri’s room at Jaleyemi Street around 2am in the presence of his wife and six-month-old baby.
The father of a six-month-old baby, the second child of his mother and only son was said to have been sleeping with his family when the invading operatives struck and killed him.
Nigerian Tribune reports that Quadri was reportedly shot in the chest and died on the spot while trying to run to safety. He was said to have lost his father few years after he was born in Popo area of Osogbo, and mother, Taibat Quadri, a laborer trained him as a single parent till he married. Now he was fast becoming a breadwinner of the family he was brutally killed for undisclosed offence.
Eyewitnesses, who spoke to the paper, revealed that the policemen, who killed the fashion designer, were on mufti with facemask. According to them the police broke into the 16-room apartments and were trying to force entry into every room in the house while looking for the deceased.
Narrating the incident, the deceased wife said her late husband had a phobia for the police due to various cases of harassment in the past. She said, “After shooting him dead, they took his phone alongside mine. It was when the day broke that we started visiting different hospitals and later discovered his remains at the University of Osun Teaching Hospital, Osogbo mortuary where the police dumped him.
“We were told that Nurudeen was not shot. They claimed that he fell while he jumped. We were also told Nurudeen was an ex-convict by the police, my husband had never been to the police station in his life and not been to court.” Quadri’s Landlady, who identified herself as Mrs. Rasheedat Ajibola said, “They broke the entrance door and were forcing entry into every room.
“I was scared when they were hitting my door; I started urinating on my body. The police said they were looking for Alowonle and I told them no one is bearing the name but later said Nurudeen and I pointed to his room. They came with someone with handcuffs.o
“When they opened his door and saw him, his wife and daughter, I heard “fire fire”. They tried to hit me with the butt of a gun while shouting at them not to kill him. Upon seeing them, Nurudeen jumped off from the window to the neighbouring building when they shot him.” Mrs Ajibola continued that the police left the scene after the shootings but came back later to carry the corpse.“We only know they are police officers and an anti-cultism squad with the inscription on their van.”
Also speaking, Quadri’s niece, Islamiyat Abubakar, said that the family saw the corpse of the deceased at Uniosun Teaching Hospital, Osogbo mortuary where the police dumped it.“The police threatened to shoot us, pointing guns at protesting members of the family. They even said they would jail us. Why will you come to arrest someone in the middle of the night? This is unlawful,” said Islamiyat.
Efforts to reach the Police Spokesperson in Osun State, Yemisi Opalola proved abortive as she failed to answer several calls and text messages sent to her phone.
