Sadiq Zubaru, a resident of Kano and purported employee of the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), has told the story of how he killed his friend and coworker Bello Adamu after he allegedly received N3 million in exchange for helping him get employment with the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
Remember that Adamu, a native of Kano, was reported missing after presumably getting an urgent call from Saadiq?
Two days later, his corpse was found at a backstreet location in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano.
Abdullahi Abubakar, Adamu’s younger brother, had said that his late bother was at home around 12pm on Sunday, May 5, 2024, when he received an urgent call from Sadiq.
He said they were aware that Adamu had a job deal with some people and he was confident of securing the offer.
In a chat with Daily Trust, the deceased’s brother said, “Bello was desperately looking for a Federal Inland Revenue Service job offer. He was so hopeful. He was working with Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) and wanted to join FIRS. And somebody was soliciting the offer for him.
“When he received a phone call in relation to the job offer, he asked his wife to bring his car key and went to the person waiting from him. Since then we never heard from him.
“Since he did not return that Sunday. We decided to track his calls. The last word of his conversation with the person on the other end was Alhamdulillah. From this we understood that he was lured into believing that the offer was ready made.”
Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abdullahi Kiyawa, had told our correspondent that Zubairu had been arrested and investigation was ongoing.
In a statement on Thursday night, Kiyawa gave further update on the matter.
“On 05/05/2024 at about 10:00 am, report was received from a resident of Zawaciki Quarters in Kumbotso LGA, Kano State that his elder brother, Bello Bukar Adam, a KEDCO staff, aged 45 years old of Zawaciki Housing Estate, Kano had left his home with his Toyota Corolla Motor Vehicle, Ash in Colour since on 04/05/2024 and his whereabouts is unknown.
‘’On the evening of the same date, there was a report that the deceased body of a male adult has been discovered abandoned at the outskirts of Eastern Bypass, around Bechi Village in Kumbotso LGA, Kano State. The body was removed from the scene by a team of crime-scene Policemen led by Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Kumbotso Division, SP Mustafa Abubakar, who brought the corpse to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, where a Medical Doctor certified the body dead.’’
The statement added that on the developments, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, Mohammed Usaini Gumel raised a team of detectives led by the Officer in Charge (O/C), Anti-Kidnapping Squad, SP Aliyu Mohammed Auwal and directed that the suspect’ be trailed and arrested within 24 hours.
“Accordingly, the team immediately swung into action and arrested one Sadiq Zubairu, aged 35 years old of Hotoron Arewa Quarters, Nassarawa LGA on 06/05/2024 at 9:00 am.”
“During preliminary investigations, the suspect confessed that he conspired with two others, and jointly lured the victim to his house who until his death were intimate friends. He narrated that he tied him up, and hit him with sticks and sharp iron on his head and other parts of his body until he became motionless. Thereafter, he loaded the motionless body inside the boot of the deceased’s vehicle, threw him off by the roadside along Eastern Bypass, around Bichi village and left away with the motor vehicle, a Toyota Corolla, 2015 Model including his Mobile Phone.
“The suspect further confessed that what led to this regrettable incident was after he deceitfully collected the sum of three million naira (N3,000,000:00) from him on the pretext that he would secure a job offer for him. But having realised that he had no means of returning the money to him he hired two hefty guys, conspired with them killed him and hid the Motor Vehicle at a Garage in Hotoro Quarters, Kano. The Vehicle has since been however recovered by the Police.”
On Tuesday hundreds of relatives and well-wishers gathered at Gama B where Bello was buried.
The deceased’s brother said the family members were in severe pain because Adamu trusted Zubairu.
He said, “When Saadiq was sacked from KEDCO, Bello called him back. And they worked together. When Bello was promoted, he made sure Sadiq was reinstated. They worked together until his death. We saw him as our brother’s confidant and subordinate.”
The accused not our staff –KEDCO
Sani Bala, spokesperson of KEDCO, said the news of the passing of Malam Bello Bukar was very tragic and shocking, saying he was one of the most hardworking and dedicated officials of the company.
He said, “It was very shocking and sad for the company. He was one of the most hardworking and dedicated staff of the company. Honestly the deceased and the suspect had a cordial working relationship, even though the suspect was not our staff at the time of the incident.
“The cause of the death is currently being investigated by the police. But we understood that it is a personal thing between them not official. The accused is not our staff.”
(DAILY TRUST)