Mama of corper wey dem kill for Adamawa say her pikin na ‘gentle soul’ wey no suppose die now

Samaila Awudu

BBC
Late Samaila Sabo Awudu

For di Awudu family wey dey stay for Wukari town of Taraba state for north central Nigeria, 28 August 2022 na date wey go linger for dia minds for long as na day wey dem bury one of di shining lights of di family.

Samaila Sabo Awudu bin dey serve as National Youths Corps member for Adamawa until im death on Friday 26 August 2022 and di way e happun na one wey still dey trouble not only di family but all di NYSC members especially for Adamawa.

Di family say Samaila dey teach for one school wey dem post am to and na di school give am lodge to dey stay.

“E graduate from university, dey serve and look forward fo bright future before dis evil pipo snatch am away from us.”

“On di 14 of August Samaila dey sleep inside im room when some unknown pipo attack am, stab am several times with knife, steal from am and leave am inside blood.”

“Na one neighbour after some time find am and assist am to hospital wia e spend days before im death on di 26th of August (2022).”

“Sunday morning I dey inside church when my phone begin ring na dia I know wetin happun to Samaila.” 

Dis na wetin Engr John Awudu wey be uncle of Samaila and leader of di Awudu family tok.

Coffin of late Samaila

BBC
NYSC members carry coffin of dia late colleague during burial on Sunday

Pain of di mama

Madam Lahiru Awudu na Samaila mama and she tell BBC News Pidgin say her heart dey boil at di moment sake of di pain of losing her pikin years after im papa die.

“I dey feel di pain of wetin happun to my pikin wey be di gentlest of souls, since when e dey small e no dey ever fight or get problem with anybody.”

“I dey speak to am everyday on phone in fact on di day of di attack e tell me say we go jam for Jalingo wia one of im cousins bin wan do wedding.”

“Na 7 children I get and Samaila na im dey helep me alongside im broda, di oda 5 na female children.”

Madam Lahiru say anoda thing wey dey pain her be say she no get chance to visit her pikin for di days e spend for hospital before im death.

‘We wan compensation’

Di family leader Engr John say dem wan compensation from goment for wetin happun to dia pikin.

“We wan compensation for Samaila and for goment to also scrap NYSC especially for areas wey get records of wahala so dat pipo children go dey safe.”

NYSC say investigation still dey happun

Mr Isah Mohammed wey be information officer for NYSC office for Adamawa state confam di killing of di corps member to BBC News Pidgin.

But add say e get nothing to tok as investigations still dey go on regarding the sad and unfortunate incident wey lead to di death of corper Samaila.
Police don also confam di incident and dey continue to investigate di case.

Debates dey continue about relevance of NYSC today

For many years now especially after tragic incidents wey involve corpers many pipo dey comot tok say e don reach time for goment to scrap di scheme wey start for 1973.

For example now, di family of Samaila say make goment do away with di scheme considering wetin happun to dia loved one.

But e still get pipo wey feel say NYSC suppose continue, one such pipo na public affairs commentator Sani Bala wey say di scheme still dey useful.

“Make I use myself as example if not for NYSC I for no sabi Imo state but since 2003 uptil now I still get friends for dia and i bin even start business right from dia.”

“I get many friends wey marry from places wey dem go serve and have a better understanding of Nigeria because of NYSC.”

“Wetin happun to corper Samaila dey bad and sad but no mean say make goment scrap NYSC, di best way na to make am beta.”

Condolence visit to madam Lahiru

BBC
Samaila mama Lahiru Awudu as pipo dey condole with her over pikin death
Burial venue for Samaila

BBC
Mama Lahiru at di burial