Widow, family and friends of Chikere Obieshi are still enraged over the fatal shooting, in the Egbeda suburb of Lagos, of the Computer Village businessman, as they do not seem to have bought into the story of an alleged accidental discharge.
Popularly known as JB, Obieshi was killed around 9:00pm last Sunday, April 24, in a shooting incident that occurred at La Silver Bar, Egbeda. He was one of two men shot dead in the incident.
That fatal shooting is now brewing anger and unease, not only in Egbeda, but at the Computer Village, where the late businessman had his business.
One of his most outspoken associates, Germanus Anyivs, who is both friend member of Obieshi’s social club, warned that if the matter is not attended to urgently and transparently, the government risked losing a lot of revenue in the market.
“JB is one of the peace-keepers in this volatile market and if such person is a victim of injustice many would not see need for peace,” he stated.
While the friends and family, as we’ll as business associates at the Computer Village continue to protest, calling for proper investigation and justice in the matter, the Lagos Police Command says the death may have resulted from an accident at the venue of the revelry.
In a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the police revealed that late JB was accidentally killed by an off duty police officer, Inspector Mohammed Hussini.
“While investigation is ongoing, findings so far reveal that the shooting was accidental and involved an off-duty police officer, Inspr Mohammed Hussini, serving at the State Headquarters, Ikeja”, the statementread.
It continued: “Findings equally reveal that the off-duty officer is a friend of the celebrant, Ifeanyi, aka Obama, and was not at the party in any official capacity”.
To underscore the fact that the police were yet to close investigation into the matter, Hundeyin added that “efforts are currently being intensified to apprehend the fleeing birthday celebrant while the officer involved is expected to turn himself in anytime soon”.
However, like many of the late businessman friends, his widow, Ifeyinwa VivianObieshi, also believes that her husband was victim of a well-orchestrated assassination.
Hear her: “From the video I saw, Asiwaju was standing straight while JB splashed money on him, he was apprehensive. He was not dancing like a celebrant. Asiwaju knew how my husband thinks. He knew JB would resist the invitation if it was far, he brought the invitation to his door step…”
Mr Samuel Ebiem, Vice President of Phone Allied Product Dealers Association, Computer Village, also alleged that the death was a set-up.
According to him, Chikere was not given to drinking alcohol, and may have deliberately been invited for the sole purpose of having him killed.
“JB is a legal businessman who pays his taxes. We are not happy that he was murdered just like that. We don’t feel safe again, coupled with this election coming,” he stated.
Mr Anayochukwu Obieshi, JB’s elder brother, also spoke along the same line. But having resigned to fate, he said all the family was asking for now is justice, since government or police cannot now bring his younger brother back to life.
“ What we are asking for is justice. He left his house to support acquaintance who he felt he could help grow his business and he was killed. Justice won’t feed his family, it is the little thing we are asking for. The government should do this little thing for him,” he stated.