She lost her 2 only brothers, his wife and 4 year old daughter.(photos)

 

She lost her 2 only brothers, his wife and 4 year old daughter.

An Abuja-based bureau de change operator, Lukman Lawal, tells TEMITOPE ADETUNJI how he found the lifeless bodies of his elder brother, Hussaini, and the wife, Fatima Maharaz, in the couple’s apartment

There are reports about your brother and his wife’s death in their Abuja apartment. Can you explain the circumstance that led to their death?

Well, up till now, we didn’t get the actual cause of the death of my brother and his wife. I am his younger brother and also his colleague at work. There is no evidence to prove what caused it, but we suspect a case of food poisoning. I believe they must have been poisoned.

When did the incident happen?

They were found dead on Saturday, the 10th of June. It happened on a Thursday evening. When he came to the office; we worked at the same place, I remember that he left a few hours and he came back again to collect the phone pouch he asked me to buy for him. He and his wife came together. I went out to give it to him and that was the last time we met.

On Friday morning, a customer walked into our organisation. He needed my brother’s attention because he (my brother) was the bureau de change operator and cashier while I am the foreign transfer officer. At that moment, when we couldn’t find him at work, it dawned on me that he didn’t come to work but I felt that probably he decided to take the day as his off-day because sometimes, he could decide to relax at home and would not come to the office. I also stay at home sometimes.

On this particular day, when I noticed that he was not around, I called his number and he wasn’t picking up. I immediately asked someone else to call him but it was still the same situation; he wasn’t picking up the call. So, before the customer left, he asked me to deliver his message whenever I saw him. Since that moment, I kept on calling my brother and there was still no response.

The next day which was a Saturday; I called his phone but this time, it was switched off. I called his wife’s phone, it was ringing but there was no response. It was around 6am in the morning on Saturday that I started getting very worried and decided to check them at home because they lived close to where I stay.

Where do you stay?

I live at Hadum Plaza, Phase 2, Wuse Zone 4, while they stay in Agric Quarters, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.

What happened when you got to your brother’s house?

When I got to his house, I started knocking on his door; I knocked on his door countless times but there was no response. I went back home and prepared for work. When I got to my workplace around 9am, one of my brothers called me and asked if there was any progress, I explained the situation to him and he asked me to go back and knock. I went back to his house, it was two of us that went and knocked and there was still no response. So, we kept hitting the door and the other person suggested that we should break it (the door).

Who was the other person that went with you?

He is Hussaini’s boy, Nafi’u Nura, and he also does bureau de change. Four of us; Nafi’u, two of the security men in the estate and I went ahead to break the door. So, after breaking the door and entering the house, we saw their lifeless bodies on the bed.

Do you have an idea of what could have been the cause of their death?

I have no idea, but we still suspect they could have been poisoned.

What made you feel that they died of food poisoning? Was there any sign to indicate that they were poisoned?

I can’t really say one hundred per cent that they died of food poisoning but we discovered some used plates close to the bed where their bodies were. We could find food particles on the plate. It was rice and it was as if they had finished eating before the incident happened.

How did you feel after finding their lifeless bodies on the bed?

At first, it appeared unreal; I felt like I was dreaming before I had to finally accept that they were no more.

Were they taken to the hospital after they were found dead on their bed?

Yes, we took them to the hospital even though we already discovered that their bodies were decomposing. However, they were confirmed dead when we got to the hospital.

How close were you to your brother?

I was very close to Hussaini Lawal, my brother. The bond we shared was beyond blood relationship; we were colleagues at work and we used to be together almost every day.

What kind of person was your brother?

He was a man who focused on his business only. Though he had friends, they mostly came to the office when they wanted to meet. He never had any bad report and he didn’t have any record of a bad attitude to work or poor personal behaviour. My brother was always calm and I don’t think he had issues with anyone. He led a very simple life and he didn’t make trouble with anyone.

Who do you suspect could have been have been behind the death of your brother and his wife?

I suspect nobody but if there is anybody involved in their death, I pray that person will never find peace here and hereafter.

How old was your brother?

He was 28 years old. I don’t know the age of the wife.

How long have they been married?

The day they were found dead was their first wedding anniversary.

What was the name of his wife and where was she from?

Fatima Maharaz. Both of them were from Kano State. My late brother was from the Gwale Local Government Area. I can’t remember that of his wife but we are not from the same local government area.

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What was her occupation?

She was a full-time housewife.

Do they have kids?

No, but the wife was pregnant with twins before her death.

Looking at the circumstance that led to their death, do you think they could have been saved if someone was within?

Yes, they could have been saved. It was just two of them in the apartment, and the house was locked. Had it been that people were around at the time they started facing crisis, if it was a case of food poisoning, they would have been saved but God knows better and He does his things in His own way. So, whether there was someone around the apartment or not, when it was their time, no one was able to stop their death. Even if the suspected killer was patient enough, they wouldn’t pass their time of death. God has already made it to be that day.

Were they the only ones living in the apartment?

No, there are other tenants in the building; there are neighbours, and the flats in that compound are 10 in number or more. So, their apartment is on the second floor. There are about two flats on the second floor. I have a feeling that the day we found them dead might not be the day they died, but probably a day before they were discovered because their bodies had started decomposing.

How do you feel at that moment?

Well, I have never felt worse in my life than the way I felt that day. I am still in shock and I felt very sad after realising that I had lost a brother whom I saw almost every day. He was more like a friend to me.

Hussaini and wife

How did your parents react to the news of his death?

My dad is late; he died in March this year, and may his soul rest in peace. My mum is still alive and when she heard about the incident, it came as a terrible shock to her.

How is your mother coping?

She cried so much on that day; it is not a good experience for a mother to lose a child. It is not a good experience for parents to bury their children while they are still alive.

What about the family members, what was their reaction?

They couldn’t believe the incident; everyone has accepted their faith. The family was in tears when they heard about the incident. They were sad and heartbroken. It has not been easy for everyone because this is a tragedy. However, we are getting better.

What position was your brother in the family?

We are actually many; my father married four wives and we, the children, are 21 in number. The deceased was the fifth from his mother’s side. His mum was the first wife; my mum was the third wife, while the deceased was my elder brother.

What about the wife’s family?

They were shocked when they learnt about the incident but they are coping. It has been a very tough time for them. Losing a daughter or a child is a terrible situation and it can be painful, her family stays in Kano State but they all came around during the burial.

 What are the decisions taken concerning this matter?

No decision was made; the police are still doing their investigation. No autopsy was carried out; they were buried on that same day they were found in their apartment. They were buried at Church Road, Suleja, Niger State.

What did the police say?

They haven’t said anything; they are still doing their investigation.

Why didn’t you carry out an autopsy?

Among us, the relatives, some were saying an autopsy should be carried out, while others said it (autopsy) was not necessary because they had already started decomposing. So, we had to drop the idea of carrying out an autopsy on my late brother and his wife, even though I personally wanted it to be done. When we went to the hospital and they were certified dead, we decided to bury them.

What is the expectation of your family regarding the police investigation?

With their expertise, we expect the police to find out who did this to Hussaini and his wife.

What help do you need concerning this incident?

Yes, we need help to get to the root of the matter. Most importantly, we need prayers for the deceased and their families.

Did you hear of any quarrel between your brother and his wife when they were alive?

They had no quarrel. They were actually living peacefully before their death. My brother’s wife came back from Kano State on June 7, which was one or two days before their death. We’ve never heard of any issue between them. He loved his wife and as a matter of fact, he once told me that if I wanted to get married, I should consider someone with a positive attitude like his wife.

What are the things you missed about your brother?

I was so close to him. So, I miss him so much; I miss everything we shared. I also miss my stay with him in the office. We were always together. I really miss our togetherness because he was an amazing person. May his soul and that of his wife find rest in the bosom of God.

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