By Sam Kayode
Assassins Thursday night at about 8pm shot dead a former Vice Chair of plank sellers union on Baga Road in Maiduguri metropolis.
The late plank seller, Agha Yusuf, was said to have come out of a meeting with friends in a relaxation centre to ease himself when the assailants shot him three times on his chest in the darkness before speeding off in a waiting vehicle.
“That was the last time I saw the man on his feet. He was already on the ground clutching his chest and bleeding profusely and calling for help. Before we could rush him to the hospital, he had given up the ghost.
” It was shocking to all of us as we sat down in the meeting having our drinks when he asked us to excuse him to go ease himself only to hear gun shots which is a common feature from soldiers here.
“Just before we expected him to return to his seat, he didn’t return, only for us to hear the gun shots and then a vehicle speeding off after killing our benefactor.” Said an eye witness to the murder.
Confirming the incident, Chairman of the Plank Sellers Association in Baga road Mustapha Kaumi said the incident was a big shock to the plank selling family in Maiduguri.
“We have just lost a good man who was nice to all of us. He shared our problems and was always there to help. We enjoyed his stewardship when he was Vice Chair for four years before he stepped down in the last election.
“This weekend is a sad one for most of us who knew the man because he will not look for trouble from any one rather he was always ready to solve problems from any body who needed his attention.
“A very honest man who touched the life of all of us. We are just coming from his home in Shagari Low Cost A Estate and you need to see the way people were crying in the gathering in his home.
Several people stormed his house Friday morning to sympathize with his widow and other members of the family while the entire notorious Kasua Fara which has become a den of criminals was shot down by the military authorities from the garrison barracks in the town.
Commuters were seen milling around and discussing the matter as at the time of writing this report.
The late former Vice Chair of the plank Sellers is survived by a wife and two children.
When contacted on the incident, the police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Shatambaya Sani, said “We are not aware of any assassination there sir”.
