One year after: Justice still cries out
Do these two names; Eunice Olawale and Bridget Agbahime still ring a bell? Eunice Olawale was murdered in the Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory on the 9th of July, 2016 as she went about her regular evangelical mission. It was reported that she was stabbed in the stomach, leg and neck while Bridget Agbahime was stoned and beaten to death by an angry mob of Muslim fanatics who had accused her of blasphemy for asking one of their own not to perform ablution in front of her shop in Kofar Wambai, a popular plastic market in Kano state with the killers not even considering the flailing state of the 74 year old woman. One similar trend that is perceptible in the deaths of these two women is religious intolerance.
Though arrests were made following these incidents but no cogent prosecution has been heard of. In the case of Madame Eunice; six (6) different suspects were apprehended with the police being accused of including innocent persons among those that were nabbed with the thoroughness in question. Let us assume that the dark had aided its own as the perpetrators were not seen since the event happened around past 5 in the morning but what about the case of Mrs. Bridget who was murdered in broad daylight as her husband watched on. In the case of the latter; five (5) suspects were arrested, and they were duly identified by the husband of the victim. What is however alarming about the whole situation [aside the murder] is the manner in which the suspects were set free as the case was withdrawn by the Attorney-General of Kano state, Haruna Falali, and the reason for the withdrawal is yet to be made known thus leaving this question begging: ‘shall the judge of the earth not judge right? Thanks to Falali, Ahmad- the prime suspect- and co are still out there leaving in their ‘freedom’ while justice is imprisoned. Falali does appear to have tilted towards the end of religious bias or can one say he is operating under a separate law besides the constitution which he ought to hold forth its bidding.
In the norm of getting cases of this magnanimity swept under the carpet, the cases of Eunice Olawale and Bridget Agbahime seem to have gone into a harbinger of silence. It must be said that the police in Kano state did their utmost in ensuring that the suspects were arrested only for their efforts to be rendered null and void as the Attorney-General saw no reason why the evil men should be made to pay for their heinous acts. The police is however yet to come to a conclusive end on the murder case of Eunice Olawale with those that were initially arrested already released [earlier this year] on the basis that they had no connection with the killing. Nonetheless, the public relations officer at the force headquarters in Abuja gave a reassurance that the police is still very much on the case as the investigation is still ongoing. As weeks keep turning into months and months into years, it is hoped that this will not go down as one of the many murder cases that we have heard and seen in the nation.
But even if the matter looks dead and buried, or we just decide to keep calm or silent; will the blood of the slain keep silent?- maybe for a while but not forever. Will the truth also be slain? - That I know will not be possible. There is a cry that is ringing out loud, and that is the cry for justice- the soul whose mother has been cut in her prime cries out; the blood of the slain cries out for it, and the simple whose life no respite knows because of the presence of the ‘devouring lions’ in human skin that are all around, eagerly cries out for justice to be given a freedom of expression… are you in tune with this cry, o ye rulers and judge of the earth?