‘What did I do you?’ -Yobe Cleric Pleads For Life Before He Was Shot Dead By Soldier
Lance Corporal John Gabriel, a soldier, has revealed how he conned Sheik Goni Aisami-Gashua, a prominent cleric in Yobe State, before murdering him.
Recall that the cleric was shot dead after he offered lift to his killer last week Friday.
The demise of the Islamic scholar had provoked a nationwide outrage, with many demanding timely prosecution of the killer.
The victim was headed for Gashua from Nguru when his murderer who was in mufti begged to join him to Jaji-Maji.
The further deceived the cleric into alighting from his car during the journey, but never made it back again as Gabriel shot him dead.
The murderer, who spoke when he was paraded by the police on Wednesday is a soldier attached to 241 Recce Model Battalion, Nguru.
According to him, the Sheik asked him two questions before he pulled the trigger.
“We were approaching Jaji-Maji and the windows were wound down, so I told him (the victim) that I was hearing a sound under his vehicle and he said he was suspecting something under it and he wanted to park and check. After he parked by the roadside, he alighted and I followed him. After checking, he found out that it was not what he suspected.
”Meanwhile, I had removed my rifle and fixed the magazine when he was under the vehicle. When he didn’t find anything under the vehicle, I told him to check the back tyre, but as he was about doing so, I pointed my rifle at him and he asked me, ‘What did I do to you?” And I responded, you did not do anything to me. He asked further, ‘Do you want to kill me?’ And I said, ‘No I don’t want to kill you.’ So, he kept quiet and I fired a warning shot, thinking he would be scared and run away. But he didn’t run away. However as he made to enter his vehicle, I fired directly at him.” he said.
