By Eben Enasco Kingsley, Benin City
Abandoned Family of the slain vigilante, Mr. Gabriel Okorare who was part of the rescue team of the kidnapped Mrs. Margaret Emefiele, wife of the governor of central bank of Nigeria has cried out over the desertion of the family by concerned authorities since the death of the bread winner while on duty.
The late Gabriel, 64 who hailed from Oviore in Delta State left behind eleven children, two wives and an aged mother.
Addressing newsmen in a press briefing yesterday in Benin City, spokesperson for the family, Mr. Great Omoruyi, Chairman/elder of Emuhun community, said since the death of their father, feeding of the family has been a major concern especially at the present economy recession of the country, a situation that has forced the children to pull out of school.
He availed that on the 30th day of September 2016, there was an emergency call from the senior police officer at Okhuaihe police divisional headquarters in Edo State calling on all the civil vigilante in Emuhun, Ugoneki and it’s environ seeking for their kind support and assistance to rescue the kidnapped wife of the central bank governor of Nigeria, Mrs. Margaret Emefiele and three others alleged to have been kidnapped with her by the abductors.
He reiterated that the police, who described the incidence as an embarrassment to the Edo State Police Command and the nation at large, said she was abducted by gunmen at Ugoneki area while traveling along the Benin Asaba express way.
He said the vigilante responded urgently to the call including the slain victim noting that it was however painful that while trying to rescue the abducted woman that he was fell by the bullet of the kidnappers who shot sporadically into the bush.
“The late Gabriel Okorare one of the vigilante member who determined to join force with security operative (police) to rid off the localities of all forms of criminality including kidnapping, responded to the police call with vigilante colleagues and Jon other security operative the police, the DSS and the police monitoring team from Abuja combed the bush forest to rescue the wife of the CBN governor, Mrs. Margaret Emefiele from the kidnappers’ den.
“Regressively, Mr. Gabriel Okorare a hero, crime fighter during the process of rescuing and saving the life of Mrs. Margaret Emefiele’s wife of the governor of CBN from her abductors he was shot dead by the kidnappers and his lifeless body was recovered by the police who were equally involved in the same rescued operation. The police has deposited its remains at the Abudu hospital mortuary”, he said.
He said the report of the vigilante’s death has since being reported at Okhuaihe police station and that the commissioner of Police Edo State who promised to convey the matter to the appropriate authority has also failed to pay a condolence visit to the family.
The younger wife to the deceased, Mrs. Gladys Okorare, 35, said they came to call her late husband that there was an urgent need to attend to on that fateful day but surprisingly that when his colleagues came home, he could not return with them but she was later told that he has been killed in a gun duel in the bush by the kidnappers.
She said,’’ ever since the death of her husband, life has become unbearable for the family.
The first son to the deceased, Mr. Roland Okorare, 36, said those concerned should come and give his father a befitting burial and also render assistance to those he left behind.
The first wife to the deceased, Mrs. Victoria Okorare, 60, said she was at her village when the incident happened. She said she was called to be informed about her husband’s death.
Comrade Igbinosun Wilson, chairman Ugoneki vigilante unit, said they were grouped together and that when they were still standing, suddenly, four men with an AK47 riffles started shooting sporadically into the bush and was how he was killed.
He said, the claim made by the law enforcement agencies of arresting and rescuing the abducted CBN’s wife was all false as they were those who made every arrest and rescue mission possible.
The family has however called on Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the governor of CBN and his wife, Mrs. Margaret Emefiele, the governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, the Edo State Government, Adams Oshiomhole, the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare 11, and other relevant agencies to come to the aid of the family of the decease left behind in order to make life meaningful for them.
