From Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin

The Hausa Community in Edo State has petitioned the State Commissioner of Police, Betty Enekpen- Otimenyi, over the killing of a truck driver, Suleiman Bala.

Bala was killed by revenue collectors in Ahor Community, Uhunmwode Local Government Area of the state over alleged refusal to pay N1000 revenue ticket Ahor Community Development Association.

He was said to have loaded his truck with his conductor from Jos, Plateau State, to Benin City on the 23rd of February, 2025 and off- loaded his vehicle.

An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity said on the said date, about 12.00am, some boys who were said to be revenue collectors for Ahor Community Development  Association, acting on behalf of Ahor Community Development Association Chairman woke up Suleiman Bala’s conductor, demanding for N1000.

The conductor, surprised by the revenue collectors’ act in such a nocturnal period offered them N400.00 but they refused the offer.

Thereafter, it was gathered, the boys in anger collected their wheel spanner, which made the conductor call the attention of his driver, Bala, who was sleeping.

The deceased, it was gathered, followed the revenue collectors alongside his conductor, pleading for the release of the wheel spanner, while he reportedly offered the revenue collectors the balance of N600.00.

However, in anger, the boys (revenue collectors) were said to have used the wheel spanner to hit the driver repeatedly until the driver fell and died, while they reportedly disappeared immediately.

Consequently, in a petition dated February 24, 2025 by the Chairman, Hausa Community, Alhaji Saleh Badamasi, appealed to the Edo State Commissioner of Police to bring the perpetrators to book.

The petition written by his lawyer, S.O. Osazuwa & Co, urged the CP to investigate and arrest the chairman of Ahor Community Development Association, on whose instructions the boys were collecting illegal revenue.

The petition reads: “That our Client informed us that Late Suleiman Bala who is a member of Hausa Community was brutally attacked and murdered in cold blood by some boys (Agents) of Ahor Development Association Acting on the instructions of Ahor Development Chairman.

“That our Client further informed us that the Late Suleiman Bala who is a bonafide gentle member of Hausa Community, is a Businessman from Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.

“That our Client further informed us on the 23rd day of February, 2025 while en route from Jos to Lagos and also delivered some goods in Benin which was close to 8:00pm on that same fateful day decided to stay and spent a night in Ahor Kara Market along Lagos ExpressWay.

“That our Client informed us that at about 12:00am midnight when Late Suleiman Bala, Driver and the Motor Boy were sleeping inside the Trailer (Truck) were woken up by a group of boys holding and parading a ticket bearing Ahor

Community Development Association purporting to be acting on the instructions of Ahor Community Development Chairman to collect revenue of One Thousand Naira (N1000) of any Truck even at that unholy hour.”

“That our Client reliably informed us that both Late Suleiman Bala, the Driver and the Motor Boy pleaded and offered them Four Hundred Naira (N400) in order to  make peace reign even when they knew they were acting illegally.

“That the boys who are Agents of the Chairman of Ahor Community Development Association, ignored their Pleas by taking laws into their hand, grabbed and seized their Wheel Spanner of the Truck and were going away with it.

“That we are informed by our Client that while they were begging them (Agents), the Boys got angry for disturbing their insistent plea and attacked Late Suleiman Bala with the wheel Spanner by continuously beating and hitting him with the same wheel Spanner which led to his internal injury and bleeding.

“We are further informed by our Client that the late Suleman Bala collapsed and died on the spot as a result of the internal bleeding and injuries he sustained from the attack, particularly from the force and hitting on him with the wheel Spanner.

“We are by this Petition calling on your good Office as the Commissioner of Police, Edo State to investigate, arrest the Chairman of Ahor Community Development Association on whose instructions his boys (Agents) carried out such illegal Act to produce his boys (Agents) against the background of the banning of such activities by the Executive Governor of Edo State and more so acting at such an unholy time to perpetuate these illegal, devious and murderous activities which has culminated into taking an innocent life who engaged in his lawful Business by name Suleiman Bala.

Be assured of our highest commendation in this regard.”

Contacted, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Moses Yamu said he was not aware of such an incident.

He said: “I don’t know about that, such a thing did not happen in this place; I can assure you that such a thing did not happen here.”