TheCable

Gunmen who attacked a farmhouse belonging to Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), took away some rifles from the farm, TheCable has learnt.

The attackers overpowered two security guards they met at the farm, beating one to death.

TheCable gathered that the two mobile policemen, identified as Haruna Seriki and Musa Izah, were drafted from Mopol 45, under the federal capital territory (FCT) command.

Robert Asadu, a private guard, was also in the farm when the incident happened.

Seriki, the deceased officer, was from Kebbi state. He was a father of five children.

TheCable understands that Izah has been arrested and may be charged with negligence of duty – he was not on the ground when the attackers struck.

A source said Izah went to borrow mortar and pestle in preparation for a meal of pounded yam they intended to have as dinner that evening.

The source said the gunmen, numbering six, all appeared in military camouflage. They were said to have gained entrance into the premises under the pretence that they were operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).

They reportedly claimed that they had information that the place was being used by ritualists.

“Immediately they entered the premises comprising of a storehouse and an uncompleted building erected on a 200 by 100 square meters plot of land, they removed their pistols and ordered the two men to face down,” the source said.

“The assailants demanded for bags of money that was allegedly brought there a few days back.”

When the guards who appeared clueless about such money in the premises could not help, the gunmen reportedly tied them with ropes, after which they ransacked the premises.

“They dug out the soak-away pit and broke some plumbing pipes within the structure looking for the money,” the source said.

“After asking who was a policeman between the two men, Seriki’s identity was confirmed and the attackers descended on him with more beating and suffocated him to death. He was ladened with several sacks of heavy animal feeds found in the storehouse.

They watched him until he died .”

The gunmen reportedly went there in two Toyota Camry cars — one, green colour and the other one grey.

“Throughout the time of the attack, no gunshot was heard. The corpse of the slain policemen doesn’t have any gunshot wounds, although they collected their phones and locked back the main gate of the farm,” the source said.

When The Cable visited the farmhouse on Wednesday, many policemen were seen there. They did allow any form of loitering around the farm which has about five cattle and some sheep.

The new guard from same Mopol 45 said there was a directive not to allow journalists to take pictures.

Although Magu does not live in the house, a source said he was planning to move there after retirement.

Akowe Achimugu, divisional police officer (DPO) of New Karshi division, the jurisdiction covering Magu’s farmhouse, told TheCable that Seriki’s corpse which was deposited at the morgue of Uke General Hospital along Keffi Expressway had been released to his family for burial in line with Islamic injunction.