Abubakar Umar, a lawyer and special assistant to Ahmeed Al Mustapha, registrar of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) was found brutally assassinated yesterday in Abuja. Abubakar was trailed by unknown assailants after he left work last night, abducted, shot to death, and set ablaze. His badly burnt body was found near Utako Market in the opposite direction of his residence in Maitama.
Already, the Nigerian police has been quick to claim that Mr. Umar died in auto accident, saying that his body was burnt because it was trapped in his burning car. But family members suspect a cover-up, contending that Abubakar's body was riddled with bullets and that the police recovered expended bullet shells from the scene where his body was recovered
Saharareporters learnt from a source at the National Assembly that the lawyer, described as a brilliant civil servant, had recently acquired a piece of land bordering the official residence of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives in Abuja. In an attempt to develop the land, Abubakar applied to the National Assembly leadership to grant access to him to take materials meant for development of his land through the property of the National Assembly in the Apo legislative village.
Abubakar was reportedly directed to meet with the office of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Usman Bayero Nafada, to seek the necessary approval. But his agents who met with Mr. Nafada were shocked to find out that he was only interested in taking over the land.
He (Nafada) offered to pay for it and asked Abubakar's representatives to name their price, but Abubakar refused to sell his prized possession. The deputy speaker denied the application for access and promptly requested the minster of the Federal capital territory to revoke the land allocation to Mr. Umar for "security reason".
Things took a curious turn two weeks ago when the land allocation was revoked by the Minister of the Federal capital Territory (FCT), Adamu Aliero, and re-allocated to Mr. Nafada.
Abubakar Umar, was considering challenging the FCT in court over the revocation but had not yet been able to obtain the revocation paperwork to enable him commence legal action.
Another source also told Saharareporters that his death might be connected with the arrest and prosecution of some persons involved in forging CAC documents. Last month, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested two lawyers, George Ihijirika Okechukwu and Nwaroh Emmanuel, as well as Tolulope Akeju, alias C and C. They were charged before a Federal High Court in Abuja for making a false certificate of registration of increase in shares capital serial number 756501 of the Corporate Affairs Commission in respect of Jeruzeth International Engineering Company Limited, from N1,000,000 to N25,000,000.
Abubakar has been buried according to Muslim rites at the Abuja cemetry.
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