Woman suspected of killing her house's help in police custody

The personnel of the Lagos State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba, have commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a house help, Joy James, by arresting her boss, Fortune Nwankwo.

Our iinvestigation gathered that Fortune was arrested on the suspicion that she staged the victim’s suicide at her place of residence on Ogundola Street in the Bariga area of the state.

Fortune had reported at the Bariga Police Division on Monday that Joy hung herself to a fan in her room.

It was learnt that policemen, who were detailed to the scene of the incident, observed some marks on Joy’s body and after a critical analysis of the crime scene and the corpse, suspected a case of murder.

The corpse was evacuated to the Yaba General Hospital for autopsy, while Fortune was apprehended and the case transferred to the SCIID for further investigation.

Fortune, while speaking with PUNCH Metro, denied the allegation that she killed the victim, adding that Joy had already made up her mind to stop working for her, but could not leave her house because of the lockdown.

She stated, “An agent, Johnson Odewu, brought Joy to work in my place on January 10, 2020. Sheworked with my family for a while, but all of a sudden, she became reluctant to work; so, on April 9, I spoke with her and involved her relative, Blessing, who told her to behave.

“But when nothing changed, I decided that she should go and gave her N15,000 as her salary. She left around 7am.

“I was cooking when my husband told me that Joy was still around and when I spoke to her, she said she could not get a vehicle because of the lockdown. When Blessing, who was waiting to pick her up in Oshodi did not see her, she called and I explained what transpired and we both concluded that Joy should stay with us till the lockdown was over.

“I later saw that she was eating raw noodles and decided to search her room and that was how I discovered that she had stolen my clothes and my children’s toys. She even hid my clothes underneath hers so that I won’t see them when searching, but I found out; if only I can access my phone, I will show you everything.Woman suspected of killing her house help in Police custody

Abba Kyary nearly became Obassanjo's V.P.

Daura recalled, “I first set eyes on Malam Abba about 47 years ago. I was at my desk at the New Nigerian newspapers office scribbling something or other when the gate messenger brought a sheet of paper with a name ‘Abba Kyari Chima’ wanting to see the editor.

“When he came in he looked winsome and slightly diffident. After pleasantries, I wanted to know his reason for coming to New Nigerian. He said he read and liked an editorial in the paper a few days earlier headed: ‘Solution looking for a Problem’ and he resolved to work with us.

“After swift enquiry, I was told there were no vacancies in the newsroom or in sub-editing. But a lowly position existed as proof reader as someone had just left. I was about to apologise to him that what was available was beneath his station. Malam Abba quickly said: ‘I will take it.’ After formalities, he was enrolled as a staffer of New Nigerian.”

Daura said Kyari was a diligent and principled worker despite the little salary he was paid.A nephew and confidant of the President, Mamman Daura, has revealed that during the run-up to the 1999 Presidential election, Abba Kyari was among those considered for the position of running mate to Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo who was the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.Daura said this in a tribute to Kyari, the late chief of staff to the President, Maj.Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

He wrote, “These times coincided with the country’s return to democracy and Malam Abba was among those enthusiastically espousing the cause of General Obasanjo. On his selection as PDP candidate, a group of women and youths in the PDP lobbied Obasanjo to pick Malam Abba as his Vice Presidential running mate. After heated debates, Obasanjo eventually picked Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.”Daura said he first met the late Kyari in the mid 1970s when he (Daura) was the editor of the now defunct New Nigerian Newspaper.He recalled that Kyari had read an article in the newspaper and then applied to work at the company.Daura recalled, “I first set eyes on Malam Abba about 47 years ago. I was at my desk at the New Nigerian newspapers office scribbling something or other when the gate messenger brought a sheet of paper with a name ‘Abba Kyari Chima’ wanting to see the editor.

“When he came in he looked winsome and slightly diffident. After pleasantries, I wanted to know his reason for coming to New Nigerian. He said he read and liked an editorial in the paper a few days earlier headed: ‘Solution looking for a Problem’ and he resolved to work with us.