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‘Why I fled after three persons died at my daughter’s birthday party’

By Rauf Oyewole, Bauchi
30 November 2018   |   3:45 am
Patrick Zumunta, the organiser of a birthday celebration in Yelwa Tsakani, Bauchi, the state capital, has expressed sadness...

Patrick Zumunta, the organiser of a birthday celebration in Yelwa Tsakani, Bauchi, the state capital, has expressed sadness over the killing of three people by two suspected rival youth groups, saying he only organised the party for his two-year-old daughter, which was hijacked by hoodlums.

Patrick was arrested and paraded by the state police command before journalists yesterday after he reportedly fled to Jos to evade arrest.

He explained that: “On Sunday, November 18, I held a birthday party for my daughter, which started at about 4:00p.m. and ended by 9:00p.m. At about 10:00p.m. we heard someone shouting that they have stabbed a girl. Later, another guy started shouting that they have killed Dauda. I then told my people not to go there.”

The 26-year-old shoemaker said he ran away for his life when he saw that “police were opening people’s houses to arrest them after the violence.”

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Kamal Datti Abubakar, said operatives attached to the State Intelligence Bureau of the command intercepted and arrested the suspect on his way from Jos to Bauchi.

He said: “Patrick is currently being investigated at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department after which he will be charged to court.”

It would be recalled that three persons were reportedly killed while eight others got injured, alongside two houses and a car destroyed in Tsakani, where the party was held. Police said it had arrested 76 persons in connection with the crisis.

The crisis started following a misunderstanding among some youths, which later spread to other parts of Yelwa Ward. A resident of the area disclosed that some youths in Lushi started throwing stones at each other and later embarked on burning houses, which included that of a retired Superintendent of Police.

It was gathered that fight started when two male youths fought over a young lady at the venue of the party. The PPRO added that the command with the cooperation of other security agencies will ensure the perpetrators are brought to book.

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