Posted by By JAMES OJO, Abuja. on
For the FCT Police Command, the death of Adindu Umesi, a computer operator seconded to the Presidency from the News Agency of Nigeria [NAN].....
For the FCT Police Command, the death of Adindu Umesi, a computer operator seconded to the Presidency from the News Agency of Nigeria [NAN], is a puzzle that would task the ability of the police to ontie knotty situations.
The 33-year-old native of Uzukwe-Ubakala in Umuahia, Abia State was found almost burnt beyond recognition inside his 504 Peugeot car, less than one hour after he left his house for a filling station to buy fuel before going to work.
Oblivious of death was just lurking a few minutes away, he was said to have asked his spouse to prepare rice as breakfast before he left home to fuel the car preparatory to resuming work by 7.30a.m
Adindu must have bought fuel in one of the filling stations in the neighbourhood of AYA and was heading back home when tragedy struck.
The location of his car, neatly parked by the left sidewalk of the Nyanya highway instead of the right side raised suspicion that the parking might not have been done by him.
Tall, handsome and likeable Adindu was found roasted in the driver's seat, a situation his neighbours and people, who had worked with him, said was rather strange.
"No person inside a car that is about to burn would not struggle to get out.There was no sign that Adindu made any attempt to escape from the fire. such a setting raises suspicion. I appears like a mystery that must be investigated," said a NAN staff amid sobs.
Different accounts of people who saw the car when it was engulfed in smoke before it was consumed by fire indicated that three men were seen near the car before it went up in flames the onlookers never knew that there was a person inside the car.
For instance, a commercial vehicle driver, who gave his name as Emmanuel, said that he was discouraged to render help by the three men standing near the car that started smoking seriously.
"I was driving out to buy fuel, I think it should be about 6 o' clock in the morning when I saw the car oozing smoke. I came out of my vehicle with a fire extinguisher to help put out the fire.
I saw three men standing not far from the car. One of them told me not to bother myself as it was just a minor problem.On that note, I left the place," he narrated to the shock of a crowd that gathered before the arrival of men of the Federal Road Safety Commission [FRSC].
It was on his return that he said he saw that somebody was actually trapped inside the car. He explained that the three men who had discouraged him from rendering assistance to the burning and could not identify, because it was a bit dark knew more about the tragic event
"My worry is that at the time I was stopped from rendering help with my fire extinguisher, the side windscreens of the car were wound up. Again, I could not really tell if somebody was inside the car, this is a mystery, I am confused," he said as he walked away dejectedly.
Another man who claimed to be a farmer said that he saw the three men standing near the car before it started billowing thick smoke.
'From the position of the car," the farmer said, it was glaring that Adindu was not involved in an accident. The charred body of Adindu showed that he swayed towards the passenger seat. A closer look at what was left of his massive fame indicated that some bones were missing.
These are the puzzles that starring the FCT Police, who have launched a thorough investigation into the sad event in the face as confirmed by the spokesman of the Command, ASP Elisha Atikukpan.
"We have detailed a crack team of investigators led by one of the best hands under the division where the incident occurred and I can assure the public that we shall get to the roots of the matter. Though we have not made any arrest, but all I can say is that we are on top of the event, all the puzzles surrounding it would be unraveled," he assured.
Adindu's death sent shock waves through the corporate office of NAN. It was a day of long faces as staffers bemoaned the death of their colleague and friend, a few days to his wedding.
Abdulraham Balogun described the late Adindu as a jolly humble fellow who wore smiles no matter the situation.