Some months back, an
Abeokuta Magistrate was murdered by her gateman because she fired
him for stealing. Funny enough, she forgave him and called him back to
work, a mistake she wouldn’t live to even regret. He murdered her in
cold blood a few days after. His reason; he was angry with her for
firing him in the first place.
Abeokuta Magistrate was murdered by her gateman because she fired
him for stealing. Funny enough, she forgave him and called him back to
work, a mistake she wouldn’t live to even regret. He murdered her in
cold blood a few days after. His reason; he was angry with her for
firing him in the first place.
Last week, one Mabel
Okafor was murdered by her gateman in VGC, who
thereafter absconded with her properties; trinkets, monies etc.
Okafor was murdered by her gateman in VGC, who
thereafter absconded with her properties; trinkets, monies etc.
And this afternoon, I read this gut wrenching story that actually happened in
1998. Some of you may know about it as it was carried on NTA news back
then. Please read and let’s be guided.
1998. Some of you may know about it as it was carried on NTA news back
then. Please read and let’s be guided.
This
is the very tragic story of Hadiza, a girl who had the dream of
conquering the skies. She did achieve her dream before she was cut down
in her prime by the very people she fed, clothed and trusted with her
own life. The late Captain Hadiza Lantana Oboh was the first and only
female pilot of the defunct Nigeria Airways.
is the very tragic story of Hadiza, a girl who had the dream of
conquering the skies. She did achieve her dream before she was cut down
in her prime by the very people she fed, clothed and trusted with her
own life. The late Captain Hadiza Lantana Oboh was the first and only
female pilot of the defunct Nigeria Airways.
LOVE, FAMILY AND MARRIAGE
Hadiza
was single and lived alone in her residence where she enjoyed every
available luxury and was hardly visited by friends, relations or
associates. She seemed to have been very much focused primarily on her
career and might have been very introverted.
was single and lived alone in her residence where she enjoyed every
available luxury and was hardly visited by friends, relations or
associates. She seemed to have been very much focused primarily on her
career and might have been very introverted.
FLYING CAREER
A
hardworking and focused lady, Captain Hadiza Oboh was reputed to have
checked out as a Flight Officer (F/O) aboard a Boeing 737 of the Nigeria
Airways in 1984 .
By
1989, she was already a well-established pilot and remained an aviation
superstar all through the 1990s. She was always a point of reference
and source of pride for all women associations in Nigeria and Africa.
THE PLOT AND THE MURDER
The
cold-blooded murder of Captain Oboh still sounds like a scene right out
of a movie, even 17 years after her unfortunate exit from the world. On
that fateful day, around 8.00 pm on the 8th of February 1998, Captain
Oboh drove straight from the airport to her 40A Bourdillion Road home in
Ikoyi, a high-brow part of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial center. A very
lively lady, she was full of sparkle and was probably famished after a
hectic day (pilots are some of the most worked and stressed-out
professionals), she made for her kitchen to prepare a quick meal to line
her stomach.
Inside
the kitchen, she set a pot of soup on the electric cooker. She was
never to taste of the meal she was cooking. Unknown to one of Africa’s
few female captains, her domestic servants were already putting
finishing touches on how to send her to the Great Beyond. As stated
earlier, Captain Oboh was single and lived alone. The only people
staying with her at her Ikoyi residence were her domestic servants and
were males. They worked as the gateman (Abdullahi was the maiguard or
security watch), gardener in addition to handling some other household
tasks.
As
she approached the entrance of her posh residence, Abdullahi flung open
the big gates to her residence and she drove in, parked her Santana car
and strode in. As Hadiza entered her well-furnished duplex, she did not
suspect a thing. She headed for her bedroom while one of the domestic
workers helped her with the flight bag. Hadiza had one habit which is
quite common in many Nigerian homes with domestic ‘househelps’: her
workers had access to her bedroom. However, this was to have very
devastating consequences for her.
On
the various occasions when the domestic servants assisted her with her
bag into the lavish bedroom, they saw foreign currencies scattered all
over the place. That was the beginning of the nightmare. Her workers
were attracted by the money which she sweated for. On that fateful day,
which would be her last on earth, as the servant dropped her flight bag
in her room, they noticed more foreign currencies littering the
beautifully-arranged bedroom. In addition to the money, Hadiza’s room
was also full of designer wears, jewel-studded bracelets, gold chains
and many others. She was a woman of class and fashion, a very classy
pilot with an eye for the very best. Her wardrobe contained the best
money could buy. Her residence was also equipped with the latest and
most sophisticated electronic appliances and gadgets of that era. It was
these glittering items that made the neurons in the brains of her
workers to misfire and they conspired. They conspired to kill Hadiza.
After
she relaxed for a while in her room, she stepped into the kitchen to
prepare a meal. While she was in the kitchen savoring the aroma of the
dish, Abdullahi sneaked out and opened the gate for the three other
conspirators who entered the expansive compound. One of the brains
behind the plot was Peter Iduwu Eche from Benue State. Trained as an
auto-electrician, in 1993, Captain Oboh also employed him as a gardener
and gateman. He was hired because Oboh had fired Abdullahi for gross
misconduct. While Peter was working for her, he was residing in the
boys’ quarter inside the compound.
hardworking and focused lady, Captain Hadiza Oboh was reputed to have
checked out as a Flight Officer (F/O) aboard a Boeing 737 of the Nigeria
Airways in 1984 .
By
1989, she was already a well-established pilot and remained an aviation
superstar all through the 1990s. She was always a point of reference
and source of pride for all women associations in Nigeria and Africa.
THE PLOT AND THE MURDER
The
cold-blooded murder of Captain Oboh still sounds like a scene right out
of a movie, even 17 years after her unfortunate exit from the world. On
that fateful day, around 8.00 pm on the 8th of February 1998, Captain
Oboh drove straight from the airport to her 40A Bourdillion Road home in
Ikoyi, a high-brow part of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial center. A very
lively lady, she was full of sparkle and was probably famished after a
hectic day (pilots are some of the most worked and stressed-out
professionals), she made for her kitchen to prepare a quick meal to line
her stomach.
Inside
the kitchen, she set a pot of soup on the electric cooker. She was
never to taste of the meal she was cooking. Unknown to one of Africa’s
few female captains, her domestic servants were already putting
finishing touches on how to send her to the Great Beyond. As stated
earlier, Captain Oboh was single and lived alone. The only people
staying with her at her Ikoyi residence were her domestic servants and
were males. They worked as the gateman (Abdullahi was the maiguard or
security watch), gardener in addition to handling some other household
tasks.
As
she approached the entrance of her posh residence, Abdullahi flung open
the big gates to her residence and she drove in, parked her Santana car
and strode in. As Hadiza entered her well-furnished duplex, she did not
suspect a thing. She headed for her bedroom while one of the domestic
workers helped her with the flight bag. Hadiza had one habit which is
quite common in many Nigerian homes with domestic ‘househelps’: her
workers had access to her bedroom. However, this was to have very
devastating consequences for her.
On
the various occasions when the domestic servants assisted her with her
bag into the lavish bedroom, they saw foreign currencies scattered all
over the place. That was the beginning of the nightmare. Her workers
were attracted by the money which she sweated for. On that fateful day,
which would be her last on earth, as the servant dropped her flight bag
in her room, they noticed more foreign currencies littering the
beautifully-arranged bedroom. In addition to the money, Hadiza’s room
was also full of designer wears, jewel-studded bracelets, gold chains
and many others. She was a woman of class and fashion, a very classy
pilot with an eye for the very best. Her wardrobe contained the best
money could buy. Her residence was also equipped with the latest and
most sophisticated electronic appliances and gadgets of that era. It was
these glittering items that made the neurons in the brains of her
workers to misfire and they conspired. They conspired to kill Hadiza.
After
she relaxed for a while in her room, she stepped into the kitchen to
prepare a meal. While she was in the kitchen savoring the aroma of the
dish, Abdullahi sneaked out and opened the gate for the three other
conspirators who entered the expansive compound. One of the brains
behind the plot was Peter Iduwu Eche from Benue State. Trained as an
auto-electrician, in 1993, Captain Oboh also employed him as a gardener
and gateman. He was hired because Oboh had fired Abdullahi for gross
misconduct. While Peter was working for her, he was residing in the
boys’ quarter inside the compound.
However,
when Peter travelled to his village in Makurdi, Oboh decided to
re-employ Abdullah pending the return of Peter. That mistake would prove
most deadly. When Peter returned, Abdullahi moved swiftly and worked on
his brain. He hinted Peter of his sinister agenda to kill Hadiza and
co-opted Peter into the bloody mission. Abdullahi was reported to have
said Oboh should be killed because:
‘…she get plenty money and property.’
Without
thinking of the consequences, Peter agreed to the plot. In fact, he
went a step further by organizing for and arranging the four assassins
who would take part in the operation. The meeting point for the killers
was the spot outside the house where Abdullahi was selling his petty
items. When Oboh arrived her residence that day, the plan was for the
killers to melt into the environment and lurk around and wait for
signals. Once they saw that madam was comfortably inside, Abdullahi
sneaked out of his post and flung the massive gates open and the other
agents of death entered. Their plan was thorough and detailed. The
assassins gained access to the house via the rear kitchen door. As they
entered, Hadiza was inside the kitchen, cooking.
Like
a crazed cat, Abdullahi took a leap and bounced on her. In his hand was
a rope which went straight to the neck of Nigeria’s only female
captain. Hadiza shouted, pleaded and struggled but was overpowered. As
the pilot gave her last kicks in a desperate attempt for survival, the
very person she hired to protect her, Abdullahi, increased the grip and
tightened the rope around her neck cutting off blood supply to her brain
and probably severing her brain stem in the process while other
assailants attacked and restrained her. The bitter struggle went on for a
few minutes, and after the macabre drama, all was left was the lifeless
body of one of Africa’s most illustrious daughters. In this manner of
murder, Captain Hadiza would have died very quickly. The assailants did
not stop there. They took her corpse and did a most unthinkable thing.
They carried out an act that would shock many for centuries to come.
They headed for the septic tank (locally referred to as the ‘soak
away’),where they dumped her body. They then made for the bags of cement
and fully cemented the tank. Inside the kitchen was the rope they used
in killing her.
when Peter travelled to his village in Makurdi, Oboh decided to
re-employ Abdullah pending the return of Peter. That mistake would prove
most deadly. When Peter returned, Abdullahi moved swiftly and worked on
his brain. He hinted Peter of his sinister agenda to kill Hadiza and
co-opted Peter into the bloody mission. Abdullahi was reported to have
said Oboh should be killed because:
‘…she get plenty money and property.’
Without
thinking of the consequences, Peter agreed to the plot. In fact, he
went a step further by organizing for and arranging the four assassins
who would take part in the operation. The meeting point for the killers
was the spot outside the house where Abdullahi was selling his petty
items. When Oboh arrived her residence that day, the plan was for the
killers to melt into the environment and lurk around and wait for
signals. Once they saw that madam was comfortably inside, Abdullahi
sneaked out of his post and flung the massive gates open and the other
agents of death entered. Their plan was thorough and detailed. The
assassins gained access to the house via the rear kitchen door. As they
entered, Hadiza was inside the kitchen, cooking.
Like
a crazed cat, Abdullahi took a leap and bounced on her. In his hand was
a rope which went straight to the neck of Nigeria’s only female
captain. Hadiza shouted, pleaded and struggled but was overpowered. As
the pilot gave her last kicks in a desperate attempt for survival, the
very person she hired to protect her, Abdullahi, increased the grip and
tightened the rope around her neck cutting off blood supply to her brain
and probably severing her brain stem in the process while other
assailants attacked and restrained her. The bitter struggle went on for a
few minutes, and after the macabre drama, all was left was the lifeless
body of one of Africa’s most illustrious daughters. In this manner of
murder, Captain Hadiza would have died very quickly. The assailants did
not stop there. They took her corpse and did a most unthinkable thing.
They carried out an act that would shock many for centuries to come.
They headed for the septic tank (locally referred to as the ‘soak
away’),where they dumped her body. They then made for the bags of cement
and fully cemented the tank. Inside the kitchen was the rope they used
in killing her.
With
Hadiza’s body vaulted away inside the septic tank, they moved to the
next stage of their orchestrations: they embarked on a proper looting of
her house. They carted every valuable thing in her residence, from her
gold jewels to her expensive wears to the hard currencies she laboured
for, they cleared everything. Even her car was not spared as they turned
it into an unpainted taxi. Peter then abandoned the boys’ quarter and
started living in the main building formerly occupied by the deceased
pilot. So each time a visitor or friend came to check on Hadiza, Peter
and the rest would answer saying:
‘Madam don travel and we no know when she go return.’
Disappointed,
the guests would turn back thinking Hadiza must have travelled or was
on her busy flight schedules again. However, as far as Peter and the
rest were concerned, they were very sure they had already sent Oboh a
journey she would never return from and they had inherited all her
property. They were the new big boys, the new bosses. But they were soon
to run out of luck. In the house next to Oboh’s was a policeman on duty
who noticed very strange movements in and out the premises of the late
captain. The policeman approached the residence, asked of Captain Oboh
and as usual, they played the same track: Madam no dey house.
Hadiza’s body vaulted away inside the septic tank, they moved to the
next stage of their orchestrations: they embarked on a proper looting of
her house. They carted every valuable thing in her residence, from her
gold jewels to her expensive wears to the hard currencies she laboured
for, they cleared everything. Even her car was not spared as they turned
it into an unpainted taxi. Peter then abandoned the boys’ quarter and
started living in the main building formerly occupied by the deceased
pilot. So each time a visitor or friend came to check on Hadiza, Peter
and the rest would answer saying:
‘Madam don travel and we no know when she go return.’
Disappointed,
the guests would turn back thinking Hadiza must have travelled or was
on her busy flight schedules again. However, as far as Peter and the
rest were concerned, they were very sure they had already sent Oboh a
journey she would never return from and they had inherited all her
property. They were the new big boys, the new bosses. But they were soon
to run out of luck. In the house next to Oboh’s was a policeman on duty
who noticed very strange movements in and out the premises of the late
captain. The policeman approached the residence, asked of Captain Oboh
and as usual, they played the same track: Madam no dey house.
THE SUSPICION AND INVESTIGATIONS
But
the policeman did not buy the story. Most likely acting on a tip-off,
the residence was suddenly swarmed by police officers and security
agents. Peter and others were arrested and bundled to the Ikoyi Police
Station. Abdullahi had vanished so it was only Peter and others who were
in police custody. Interestingly enough, when the police arrested them,
no one knew Oboh was dead and buried in a pit of waste. They were
arrested for stealing and unlawful removal of property which formed the
basis of their investigation. Peter told the police that Captain Hadiza
had travelled overseas and they believed him. Remember, there was no GSM
in 1998 on the scale it is now and it was not an easy matter of just
calling Oboh on phone or calling her relatives on phone. In May 1998,
about three months after she was killed, the Nigerian Police was still
appealing to the public to assist with information to locate the prime
suspects connected to Hadiza’s murder.
When
the police arrived her home, the pot of soup she was making was still
on the cooker, all dried up. The air -conditioners were dead and on the
floor of her kitchen were still visible the stains of her blood. The
rope used in strangulating her was found between the kitchen and her
sitting room which was now empty, with every valuable item looted. The
only thing that was left in her sitting room at that time was her
enlarged photograph, and it was covered by dust and cobwebs. The septic
tank was still open, with its gaping hole and the half-used bag of
cement was still there. The police gave an explanation that they did not
move or touch any of the items at the scene because they still needed
them for their investigations and for the prosecution of the suspects.
You know, it was almost three months after. All the compound premises,
right to the gate was already taken over by weeds and gone were the days
of her well-manicured lawns. At that time, Mr. Paddy Ogon, an ASP,
said:
‘…the
public still needs to do more because Abdullahi lives in their midst.
The image of the police is at stake. This is one of the celebrated cases
the Nigeria Police is handling in recent times. Let me assure you that
all hands are on deck to track down the remaining suspects, most
especially Abdullahi…the police must follow the case to the end and make
sure the killers of Oboh are brought to book.’
When he was asked on what the police was doing to nab Abdullahi, he said:
‘We
cannot disclose that, but let me assure the public that the police
would soon get Abdullahi. I can assure you, it is a matter of days and
months. ’
Abdullahi
was named as the person suspected to have masterminded and orchestrated
the whole thing. He was later nabbed after an intensive manhunt.
As
the case dragged on, it assumed a bigger dimension as no one knew of
Hadiza’s precise whereabouts or heard from her. More questions were
asked by her relatives and colleagues and pressure piled on the police
as the case had already gained public attention and Nigerians were
curious to know exactly what happened. Angered by the snail speed of the
investigation, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, who was the Commissioner of
Police, called for the case file, studied it and forwarded it to the
State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba. An
exasperated Tsav told journalists at a media briefing that the case had
gone beyond theft and it was incumbent on the police to establish the
whereabouts of Captain Oboh.
But
the policeman did not buy the story. Most likely acting on a tip-off,
the residence was suddenly swarmed by police officers and security
agents. Peter and others were arrested and bundled to the Ikoyi Police
Station. Abdullahi had vanished so it was only Peter and others who were
in police custody. Interestingly enough, when the police arrested them,
no one knew Oboh was dead and buried in a pit of waste. They were
arrested for stealing and unlawful removal of property which formed the
basis of their investigation. Peter told the police that Captain Hadiza
had travelled overseas and they believed him. Remember, there was no GSM
in 1998 on the scale it is now and it was not an easy matter of just
calling Oboh on phone or calling her relatives on phone. In May 1998,
about three months after she was killed, the Nigerian Police was still
appealing to the public to assist with information to locate the prime
suspects connected to Hadiza’s murder.
When
the police arrived her home, the pot of soup she was making was still
on the cooker, all dried up. The air -conditioners were dead and on the
floor of her kitchen were still visible the stains of her blood. The
rope used in strangulating her was found between the kitchen and her
sitting room which was now empty, with every valuable item looted. The
only thing that was left in her sitting room at that time was her
enlarged photograph, and it was covered by dust and cobwebs. The septic
tank was still open, with its gaping hole and the half-used bag of
cement was still there. The police gave an explanation that they did not
move or touch any of the items at the scene because they still needed
them for their investigations and for the prosecution of the suspects.
You know, it was almost three months after. All the compound premises,
right to the gate was already taken over by weeds and gone were the days
of her well-manicured lawns. At that time, Mr. Paddy Ogon, an ASP,
said:
‘…the
public still needs to do more because Abdullahi lives in their midst.
The image of the police is at stake. This is one of the celebrated cases
the Nigeria Police is handling in recent times. Let me assure you that
all hands are on deck to track down the remaining suspects, most
especially Abdullahi…the police must follow the case to the end and make
sure the killers of Oboh are brought to book.’
When he was asked on what the police was doing to nab Abdullahi, he said:
‘We
cannot disclose that, but let me assure the public that the police
would soon get Abdullahi. I can assure you, it is a matter of days and
months. ’
Abdullahi
was named as the person suspected to have masterminded and orchestrated
the whole thing. He was later nabbed after an intensive manhunt.
As
the case dragged on, it assumed a bigger dimension as no one knew of
Hadiza’s precise whereabouts or heard from her. More questions were
asked by her relatives and colleagues and pressure piled on the police
as the case had already gained public attention and Nigerians were
curious to know exactly what happened. Angered by the snail speed of the
investigation, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, who was the Commissioner of
Police, called for the case file, studied it and forwarded it to the
State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba. An
exasperated Tsav told journalists at a media briefing that the case had
gone beyond theft and it was incumbent on the police to establish the
whereabouts of Captain Oboh.
The Grisly Discovery
Once
the SCID took over the case, the pace changed. On various occasions,
the crack team of detectives led Samuel Okaula, an Assistant
Superintendent of Police (later promoted to the rank of Assistant
Commissioner of Police as at December 2012) visited her residence. On
one of their visits, Okaula was eagle-eyed enough to notice that the
septic tank had a fresh coat of cement. He called the attention of
others to the fresh layer of cement and the half-used bag of cement that
was lying in the vicinity. Okaula’s instincts went on an overdrive: he
became very suspicious. Okaula and his men returned to Panti with speed
to further interrogate Peter.
the SCID took over the case, the pace changed. On various occasions,
the crack team of detectives led Samuel Okaula, an Assistant
Superintendent of Police (later promoted to the rank of Assistant
Commissioner of Police as at December 2012) visited her residence. On
one of their visits, Okaula was eagle-eyed enough to notice that the
septic tank had a fresh coat of cement. He called the attention of
others to the fresh layer of cement and the half-used bag of cement that
was lying in the vicinity. Okaula’s instincts went on an overdrive: he
became very suspicious. Okaula and his men returned to Panti with speed
to further interrogate Peter.
The
following day, the SCID team was back at Oboh’s house. Okaula ordered
his operatives to open the septic tank. What they saw shocked them
beyond disbelief and left an entire nation speechless. Immediately they
opened up a section of the septic tank, what confronted them was the
body of Captain Oboh – decomposed. The next sad phase was the recovery
of her corpse.
following day, the SCID team was back at Oboh’s house. Okaula ordered
his operatives to open the septic tank. What they saw shocked them
beyond disbelief and left an entire nation speechless. Immediately they
opened up a section of the septic tank, what confronted them was the
body of Captain Oboh – decomposed. The next sad phase was the recovery
of her corpse.
Back
at the base in Panti, the SCID team were very sure they had Peter,
Abdullahi, Itoro Akpan (he was Oboh’s driver) and one Denise Osama
(received the stolen goods and property of the late pilot) in their
custody. Peter finally confessed and in his confessional statement, he
said:
When I hear madam dey shout and plead with dem not to kill her, I cry but I no follow kill her.‘’
at the base in Panti, the SCID team were very sure they had Peter,
Abdullahi, Itoro Akpan (he was Oboh’s driver) and one Denise Osama
(received the stolen goods and property of the late pilot) in their
custody. Peter finally confessed and in his confessional statement, he
said:
When I hear madam dey shout and plead with dem not to kill her, I cry but I no follow kill her.‘’
Nigeria’s Inefficient Courts
On the 1st of June, 1998, all the four suspects were arraigned at the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for the following:
• Conspiracy
• Armed robbery
• Murder
As
the police team was waiting for further advice and direction from the
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), they got the most shocking news
of their lives: the High Court had ordered the release of two of the
accused on bail with two sureties. But that was not to be. The suspects
gave names and addresses that never existed to the courts. That was how
the two suspects vanished and disappeared into the thin air. Apparently
embarrassed, the Ministry of Justice ordered that the suspects be
re-arrested and charged again for conspiracy, armed robbery and murder
but till today, that never happened. The suspects simply melted and
bolted away. To the utter consternation of the court, the sureties who
processed the bail also used fake names and addresses. Till today,
nothing has been done. And that was how Hadiza Lantana Oboh, a small
girl who rose to the pinnacle of aviation career in Nigeria was killed
by her domestic servants and her nation’s legal system could not get her
justice, even in death, 17 years after. She was 39.
On the 1st of June, 1998, all the four suspects were arraigned at the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for the following:
• Conspiracy
• Armed robbery
• Murder
As
the police team was waiting for further advice and direction from the
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), they got the most shocking news
of their lives: the High Court had ordered the release of two of the
accused on bail with two sureties. But that was not to be. The suspects
gave names and addresses that never existed to the courts. That was how
the two suspects vanished and disappeared into the thin air. Apparently
embarrassed, the Ministry of Justice ordered that the suspects be
re-arrested and charged again for conspiracy, armed robbery and murder
but till today, that never happened. The suspects simply melted and
bolted away. To the utter consternation of the court, the sureties who
processed the bail also used fake names and addresses. Till today,
nothing has been done. And that was how Hadiza Lantana Oboh, a small
girl who rose to the pinnacle of aviation career in Nigeria was killed
by her domestic servants and her nation’s legal system could not get her
justice, even in death, 17 years after. She was 39.
Hadiza Lantana Oboh was a trailblazer, an amazon and an inspiration to many.