Soldier Killed Student For Trying To Be A Gentleman

Emmanuel Papa Ebonyi dreamt of a great
future. A future where he would pass his
examinations in flying colours, have a great
job and support his siblings who had always
been there for him. Unfortunately, all these
dreams were terminated when a soldier
snuffed life out of him just because he tried
to be a Good Samaritan.
His sister Felicia Samuel Ebonyi tells the story in
tears. "The unfortunate incident happened in the
early hours of 9th August. On that day, my
brother, a Higher National Diploma I (HND I)
student of Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria,
Kaduna State met his untimely death in the
hands of one Captain Olufela Doyin Erizia."
"My brother was in the company of his friends
and they visited Mate Bar Night Club, PZ
Sabongari area of Zaria on the night of the
previous day to celebrate the birthday of a friend.
That was where he met Captain Olufela D. Erizia
and his friends."
Everything went well for a while. But suddenly,
there was a quarrel between Erizia and his
girlfriend. Ebonyi intervened warning Erizia
against fighting with his girlfriend. That
unfortunately turned out to be a grievous offence
in Erizia's dictionary. Infuriated, he took the laws
into his hands beating Ebonyi black and blue.
"He beat up my brother until he was half dead.
Along the line his friends rescued him from the
soldier and were trying to leave the premises, but
he (Erizia) still chased them and was struggling
with the driver of the vehicle. If Ebonyi had
known the calamity that would befall him, he
would not stop Erizia from fighting his girlfriend,
but his sympathy for the womenfolk landed him
in an unexpected grave."
Sadly, Felicia continues her story: "When the
incident happened, one of my brother's friends
called me on phone and asked me to come over.
They took us to the barracks and I met another
eye witness. It was not the soldier's girlfriend, it
was another girl. The girlfriend actually ran away
and I have been trying to get her to come and tell
her side of the story."
"Our parents are both late. I have four other
siblings and they are all very sad about the
development. He is the second to the last born in
the family. We used to have an elder sister who
died in 2007. She was ill and initially the ailment
was diagnosed as typhoid. It was later discovered
that it was hepatitis and her death was quite
painful."
Erizia was apprehended, taken for questioning
and interrogations after which he was taken to
the Area Command Police Station, Zaria.
"However, nothing has been heard ever since,"
Felicia says. "We have been kept in the dark on
this issue because not only did they refuse to
hand over the man to the police authorities but
also did not have courtesy to say a word. Sources
at the barracks were even saying that he had
been posted to another duty beat. It is on this
basis that we are calling on the Military HQ, well-
meaning Nigerians, human rights activists to see
to this matter and make sure that Erizia is
brought to book."
According to Sadau Garba of the Kaduna Human
Rights Association: "The offence of the late Ebonyi
was that he pleaded with Capt Erizia not to
manhandle a lady he jerked up and molested.
After mercilessly beating Ebonyi, a friend, one
Femi David, rushed him to Salama Hospital,
Sabongari, Zaria and they directed that he should
be taken to Shika Teaching Hospital due to the
critical condition. It was on the way to Shika that
Emmanuel gave up the ghost."
Sadau Garba added that "the family members of
the late Ebonyi have made several visits to the
Kaduna State Police Command headquarters, but
the authorities of the Army Barracks, Zaria, are
not willing to release the said Captain Erizia to the
police to investigate this inhuman, barbaric and
dastardly act."
DSP Aminu Lawal, the Police Public Relations
Officer in Kaduna confirmed the case saying
investigation was in progress. He also said, "The
authorities of the Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria
could not ascertain if Ebonyi was a student of the
institution."