Widow, Falana tackle NSCDC over graduate hawker’s death

The widow of Felix Babalola, a 37-year-old graduate of Accountancy of the University of Lagos, who drowned in the Lagoon while being chased by officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, has denied the allegation that her husband was selling stolen petroleum products.

Oluwaremilekun, the mother of two told PUNCH Metro that the NSCDC wanted to hide its officials’ misdeeds by putting her husband in a bad light.

PUNCH Metro had reported that Babalola graduated from UNILAG in 2009, and started selling recharge cards under the Mecqueen Bridge on the Victoria Island, Lagos State, when he could not secure a job.

Babalola was said to have slipped and fallen into the Lagoon while running away from the NSCDC operatives who were hunting peddlers of stolen petroleum products.

Eyewitnesses had said that the three-man squad, led by one Inspector Oladele Orijah, prevented people from rescuing the victim.

Our correspondent also reported that an official pointed a gun at the deceased while he was in the water, threatening to shoot him if he came out.

But the NSCDC spokesman, Mr. Mefor Chibuzor, said Babalola was suspected to be a seller of stolen petroleum products, adding that Babalola jumped into the water in a bid to evade arrest.

Babalola’s widow on Sunday, however, said there was no truth in the claim.

She said, “It is a big lie. My husband sold recharge cards to sailors. He never engaged in anything illegal. They are saying this to give my husband a bad name and hide their misdeeds.

“The police around that area know him well and they also testified to it that he was not that kind of person.”

Younger sister of the deceased, Ajoke, said she worked with the deceased under the bridge for four years.

She said, “Did you see where the incident happened? There is no pipeline around that area. We both worked together for more than four years and I know him well. They are lying.”

The elder sister of the late Babalola, Wunmi, said witnesses were already making statements to the police on the incident, and the truth would come to light.

Lagos based human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, said the statement of the NSCDC was self-indicting.

He said, “Assuming, without conceding, that he was doing something illegal, the law required that he be brought out and tried. The statement credited to the NSCDC has confirmed that he was allowed to drown, which in itself is an admission of crime. The law does not permit the extra-judicial killing of any suspected criminal.

“If he was chased and he fell into the Lagoon and he cried for help because he wanted to live, he was supposed to be helped and brought out to face trial. The criminality of the officials involved is worsened because the people who tried to help him were threatened and chased away.”

PUNCH