Why we burnt PDP women leader to death – Ocholli, gang leader

Edicha Ocholli, suspected to be the leader of political thugs that burnt to death, Mrs Salome Achejuigu, the PDP women leader, has confessed that they carried out the dastardly act because he had been nursing a grudge against the woman before the November 16 governorship election.

Ocholli, who spoke with newsmen shortly after being paraded yesterday, confessed that he was an All Progressives Congress (APC) thug who mobilized other thugs from Ejule in Ofu Local Government Area to set the house on fire and reigned mayhem shortly after the election.

Mrs Salome Abu, the women leader of Wada Aro Campaign Council, Ochadamu Ward, was said to have been burnt alive in her residence when she was resting after treatment from an injury on the election day.

While reacting to the act, the spokesman, Wada/Aro Campaign Council, Faruk Adejoh-Audu, had claimed that the thugs, shooting sporadically, arrived Abuh’s house at about 2pm on the fateful day and surrounded the house, blocking every exit and escape from outside.

“They then poured petrol on the building and set it ablaze as other terrorized villagers watched from hiding. She reportedly attempted to escape through a window but was prevented by the metal burglary proof and gunshots with bullets raining in her direction.

“The blood thirsty thugs waited, shooting and watching with relish while Mrs Abuh cried from inside the inferno until her voice died out. They reportedly left only when the entire house and Mrs Abuh had been burnt to ashes,” he was quoted to have said

But the police commissioner, Hakeem Busari, while parading the suspect with five others, said the whole crisis erupted when there was a misunderstanding between Gowon Simon and Awolu Zekeri, which led to the death of the latter.

He said the death of Zekeri led to the mobilization of some angry youths in the town, who moved to the house of Simon Abu, who is an uncle to the suspect where the 60-years-woman was burnt to death.

The CP, who said other suspects are on the run, however, added that as soon as investigation is completed, the suspects will be arraigned in court.

He gave the names of other suspects, who claimed they were only arrested differently as robbers and not killers of Abuh as Haruna, Egbunu, Alido, Attai and Eje.