28-year-old man allegedly tortured to death by thugs hired by his boss over misplaced phone that was later found in Adamawa

A 28-year-old man, Adamu Ahmadu, has died after he was allegedly tortured by his boss and his hired thugs over a misplaced phone in Adamawa state. 

It was gathered that the deceased’s boss identified as Hamidu Umar, 55, of Yola South Local Government Area, accused Ahmadu of stealing his mobile phone which was later found in his sitting room. 

According to report, Hamidu, who is said to be the son of the deposed Ward Head of Damare, Yola South, received a female guest on January 22, 2022. 

He took the lady to a bedroom in another apartment. After a while, he returned to the main apartment to complain of forgetting his handset.

The deceased volunteered to go and get the phone and upon return said that he was unable to locate the device. His boss then accused him of stealing the phone. 

The deceased denied stealing the handset, colleced his boss’s phone number which he called about 15 times but nobody picked it.

Hamidu was said to have invited three persons identified as Faisal, Shole and Ina’u and ordered them to torture Ahmadu until he produces the missing phone.

It was further gathered that Hamidu and his thugs took the deceased to an uncompleted building near polo ground by 5:30 pm on that fateful day and violently beat him up with wood and broken blocks.

The victim sustained fractures on his left hand, broken bone on the right hand and serious injuries on his head as well as other parts of his body.

A young lady who witnessed the beating was said to have alerted the new Ward Head of Damare, Sahabo Umar. 

The Ward Head immediately rushed to the scene, rescued the man and subsequently reported the matter at the Wuro Hausa police station.

Upon his return home after beating up the deceased, Hamidu found the said missing handset on the sofa in his sitting room. 

It was learnt that the victim was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre(FMC), Yola for medical attention but died at home on Sunday, 13th February, 2022. He was buried on Monday.

In an interview with Voice of Arewa online TV before his death, the victim narrated how his boss abandoned him despite having been proven innocent of the accusation.  

“I was taken to FMC Yola for treatment. It is a medical, surgical and orthopaedic case as you can see. I however I’m from poor parents and my boss failed his responsibility, he abandoned me. We can’t foot the hospital bills, I decided, by the unfortunate condition, to opt for trado-treatment at home,” he narrated.

Hamidu Umar and Sholle Manas were arrested and arraigned in court while two of the accused, Faisal and Ina’u, are currently at large. 

Earlier, when arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court Yola town, on the 2nd February, 2022, for criminal conspiracy and causing grievious hurt, the 1st defendant, Hamidu Umar, pleaded not guilty, while the 2nd defendant, Sholle Manas, pleaded guilty.

Thereafter, the matter was adjourned to Tuesday the 15th February,  2022, for hearing in the case of 1st defendant and summary trial of the defendant who had already pleaded guilty to the offences.

Likewise, on the the day of arraignment, the 2nd defendant had confessed that he met the 1st defendant and 2 others beating the deceased, and that he was instructed by the 1st defendant to join them in beating their victim.

When the defendants appeared in court on Tuesday, the prosecutor, Inspector Abubakar Isa, applied for the withrawal of the First Information Report (FIR) earlier tendered in court.

Inspector Isa, told the court that it became necessary for the prosecution to withdraw the FIR because the defendant is dead.

He explained that the withdrawal of the FIR is to enable them transfer the case to Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the state police command for further investigation and change of charges.

Isa informed the court that after investigation by the department, the accused persons will be properly arraigned before court of competent jurisdiction for trial.

Ruling, Chief Magistrate Dimas Elishama Gwamu granted the application filed by the prosecutor, to withdraw the FIR earlier presented as a result of the death of the primary complainant and consequently struck out the case.