Photos: The story behind the "unusual obituary" of late Anene Utazi

Late Anene Utazi died on Feb. 25, days after he was wounded at Ladipo Market, Mushin following the clash between security agents and traders during a protest against alleged extortion by hoodlums.

Ladipo Market President-General, Mr Kingsley Ogunor who narrated how Utazi died said the 27-year-old sustained injuries from matchet cuts on his head and a gunshot on his right muscle on February 18. He fell into a coma and died a week later.

Ogunor had urged the Inspector-General of Police (IG), AIG Zone 2 and the state Commissioner of Police to fish out the killers of the late Utazi, adding that so far no arrest had been made.

"The magnitude of these cases and its emotional outburst is not one to be swept under the carpet for us to achieve a serene environment. As we remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding, we have explicit confidence in the Nigeria Police force in discharging their constitutional duties,’" he said.

The market association’s Secretary-General Pastor Steve Paul said the traders also lost goods and cash worth N45 million. Ogunor accused one Ijoba, a cemetery attendant, of fomenting the trouble that led to the death of Utazi. He debunked claims that the association owed the owners of the land on which the market is built, a problem which triggered the conflict.

"The Owoyemi family, who purportedly lay claim to Odo Aladura Market with over 2,000 traders and 200,000 dependents, resulted to self-help by employing the services of Ijoba for the demolition of the Odo Aladura Market without following due process of law and applying police protection. Let me also use this opportunity to debunk the rumours going around that we are fighting our wonderful Yoruba community. We are only seeking justice for our departed member, killed by another Igbo man," Ogunor added.

A representative of the Utazi family, Mr Denis Dieke called for justice. Dieke lamented that his brother was attacked despite that his shop was in the middle of the market. While seeking a befitting funeral for the deceased, he urged the government and his colleagues to assist Utazi’s family, noting that he had many relatives and an aged father as dependents.

Source: The Nations