An Abuja-based lawyer, Frank Tietie, says he has received death threats for working with the police in the investigation into the murder of one Adekunle Ekundayo in Abuja.
Ekundayo was reportedly gunned down by unknown assailants while visiting his fiancée, Onome, at Wuse Zone 3, Abuja in May, 2018.
It was learnt that the victim’s family engaged Tietie who is also an activist, to monitor the police investigation on behalf of the family.
The lawyer, who is the Executive Director, Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights, informed Northern City News on Sunday that he received the death threat via a text message on Friday.
Thinking he was related to the deceased, the author of the SMS wrote, “The untimely death that took your junior brother is at your door.”
Tietie explained that he had since reported the development to the police which asked him to visit the station on Monday (Today).
He said, “The threat was issued to me on Friday, 20th July, 2018 by SMS from a phone number, which I would have wanted to publish but I don’t yet have clearance from the police.
“The threat is not unconnected with the recent murder of a young man in Zone 3, Abuja in company of his fiancée sometime in May, 2018.
“I was hired by the family of the deceased young man to assist the police investigation and to ensure compliance with law and justice. I have discharged that responsibility to the best of my ability since I was briefed.”
The activist stated that he had just sent a compilation of posers and leads to the police investigating team when he received the threat on his phone.
Asked if he knew the mastermind, Tietie said he suspected that the author was connected to the murder and was apparently trying to scare him off the case.
“I sent a compilation of posers and leads on the case to the police on Friday, it was the same day the SMS containing the death threat was sent to me.
“I sense that there are very powerful or highly organised forces behind the murder of that young man who had a successful distribution startup in Abuja,” the lawyer stated.
The activist called on the government and the public to give the police the necessary support they required to unravel the circumstances behind the murder.
He stated that he had pressured the police to apprehend the killers and ensure that justice was done.
Tietie, however, added that he would be withdrawing from the matter on account of the threat to his life.
“I shall formally bring this development to the Inspector-General of Police and the President of the Nigeria Bar Association on Monday, seeking appropriate directions as a Nigerian lawyer who is simply doing his job.
“Meanwhile, I have considered to be discreet in this matter and would therefore withdraw my further involvement in the investigation of the murder case,” he stated.
When contacted, the Federal Capital Police Public Relations Officer, Anjuguri Manzah, said he had no update on the investigation into the murder. (Punch )
