Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo, have condemned the gruesome murder of Olajide Sowore, brother of social media activist Omoyele Sowore.
Sowore had on Saturday raised an alarm that his brother was killed by suspected herdsmen on his way from Igbinedion University in Edo State where he was studying Pharmacy.
Reacting, Atiku expressed his condolences and urged the government to arrest the perpetrators.
“I just received news of the reported killing of Mr Olajide Sowore, a student of Igbinedion University and the immediate younger brother of human rights activist, @YeleSowore. His death, and indeed the killings and daily abductions of innocent citizens, saddens me.
“Every death diminishes our humanity. My sincere condolences to the Sowore family and his friends. May his soul rest in peace.”
Also, Ben Murray Bruce, a former Senator wrote on Twitter, “sincere condolences to the Sowore family and loved ones over the death of Mr Olajide Sowere, a student of pharmacy at the Igbinedion University, Edo State.
“I urge the government to spare no resources in bringing his killers to book. May his soul rest in peace.”
On his part, Keyamo also reacted to the murder of the immediate brother of Omoyele Sowore, Olajide Sowore.
In a statement titled, “Commiseration on the reported killing of your brother,” Keyamo expressed sadness over what he described as the “senseless killing” of Sowore’s younger brother.
“It is quite sad and regrettable that such a young man would be cut down in his prime by criminal elements,” the Senior Advocate lamented.
However, Keyamo assured that he and other patriotic Nigerians would pressurise law-enforcement agents to get the killers arrested.
“Myself and other compatriots would be pressurising the law-enforcement agents to track down these killers without delay and bring them to justice. This, and many others around the country, must be checkmated with all arsenals at our disposal,” he added.
He urged Sowore “to take heart and remain committed to helping the nation find a lasting solution to some of these numerous challenges.”
Meanwhile, the police in Edo State on Saturday confirmed the killing of Mr Olajide Sowore, the younger brother of social activist, Mr Omoyele Sowore.
The police said the deceased was shot dead in Edo by gunmen in the early hours of Saturday.
He was said to be coming from Igbinedion University, Okada, near Benin, where he was studying Pharmacy, before he was shot dead on the Benin-Lagos highway.
It added that five other persons were abducted in the process.
Spokesman for the police command, Bello Kontongs, said: “In addition to killing the younger Sowore, the suspected kidnappers made away with five unidentified persons.”
According to Kontongs, the body of the deceased has been deposited at the Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital (IUTH).
“Good morning all. This is to confirm to you that suspected kidnappers at about 0645hrs along the Lagos-Benin Expressway by Isuwa kidnapped five unidentified persons.
“And in the process, they shot dead one, Sowore Felix Olajide, male, a pharmacy student of Igbinedion University Okada.
“His remains have been deposited at IUTH mortuary, Okada, while efforts are ongoing to rescue the five kidnapped victims.
“Search and rescue operations are ongoing,” he added. ##
