Joy Anyim
A security guard identified as Bitrus Peter, has been beaten to death, after he was accused of stealing gold jewelry worth over N10 million from his master, a lawyer, simplified identified as Mr. Fola.
The deceased, who worked with the lawyer at Spring Bay Estate, Lekki, had only worked with him four months before the ugly incident.
Investigation by The Nigerian Xpress revealed that a friend and neighbour to the lawyer, Gabriel Okoi, a retired Naval Admiral, allegedly ordered his security guard to beat up Peter for the theft.
It was gathered that the lawyer had raised alarm over the missing valuables on July 20, after which he accused Peter.
He had questioned the 35-year-old Peter over the whereabouts of the jewelry, but he maintained he knew nothing about it.
The lawyer had alerted his friend, Okoi, who reportedly ordered his security guard, to torture Peter till he confesses to the crime.
Okoi’s guard had also invited his friend to beat up Peter. They allegedly beat the deceased to a pulp and he died before he could get help.
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Brother of the deceased, Bitus Micheal, who spoke with our correspondent, decried the way his brother was killed.
According to him, he was called on the day of the incident by a friend, who saw a mob beating his brother.
“I rushed to the scene of the incident and saw guys beating him. When I begged them to stop, they said they would also beat me up. I asked what my brother had done and they told me he had stolen from his master.
“I begged them to leave him but when they finally did, he was not himself anymore; saliva was coming out of his mouth while he bled profusely.
“With the help of my friend, I rushed him to the hospital but he died on our way to the hospital. Sincerely, for me, this is wickedness. I was even the one that got him the job with the lawyer; he had never stolen from anyone.”
Wife of the deceased, Mary, said she was still in shock with the way her husband was killed.
The mother of one said 2019 had been a year of double tragedy, as she had only lost a child five months before her husband’s death.
Asked about the personality of her husband, she said, “My husband was a very good man. He had never stolen from anyone. We were married for five years and for those years, no one ever accused him of stealing from them.
“I was surprised when on that day a neighbour came to call me from my shop, at about 2pm that my husband stole from his boss and was being beaten. When I even saw him, he was almost dead.”
Asked what she wanted, Mary, who was reluctant to respond, said: “The killers of my husband will not go free, they are wicked and must face judgement.”
When he was called to confirm the incident, the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, Elkana Bala, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, promised to get back to the correspondent, but was yet to do so, as at the time of filing in this report.
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However, a senior police officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident, saying it was first reported at the Ilasan Police Division.
He said: “A Naval Admiral (Rtd), Gabriel Okoi, at Spring Bay Estate Lekki with his security guards tortured Peter, a security guard at the estate to death, alleging him to have stolen necklaces from his master.
“One other person was also accused and beaten up as well; he is still in a critical conditions in an undisclosed hospital.
“The incident occurred on July 20, and the case was reported to Ilasan Police Station. It was subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba.
“I also learnt the deceased had a wife and child, living with him at Geto, behind the estate,” the officer said.