How I struck late UNIJOS graduate three times with wooden plank — Suspect

The prime suspect in the killing of University of Jos graduate Ibrahim Pilasar Mbaya, popularly known as Ibee, has admitted that he struck the deceased three times with a wooden plank, as police questioned four suspects over the incident that has triggered nationwide outrage.

The suspects made the disclosures during separate interrogations conducted by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Plateau State Police Command, SP Alfred Alobo, in a video released by Manari TV on Tuesday.

Mbaya, a Political Science graduate awaiting mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), reportedly died after he was accused of stealing an iPhone 12.

During the interrogation, Emmanuel Newyear, 30, whom police earlier identified as the main suspect seen in a viral video beating the deceased with a wooden plank, admitted attacking Mbaya.

“I was the one that hit him with the plank three times,” he said.

Newyear claimed he slapped Mbaya before using the wooden plank because he believed the deceased was hiding information about the missing phone.

He alleged that Mbaya mentioned three different places where the phone could be found, leading them to search those locations.

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The searches, however, did not produce the missing device.

“He first told me the phone was in Angwan. Later, he mentioned… another place. We searched everywhere but didn’t find the phone,” he said.

Newyear further claimed that after the unsuccessful search, he instructed others not to assault Mbaya before leaving to rest.

“When I came back after about one or two hours, there was already a crowd. I saw they had barbed his hair, and it was as if he had been hanged,” he said.

The owner of the missing iPhone 12, Rinji Daniel Fwanji, 25, told investigators that Mbaya had spent the night at his residence after both of them returned from an event in the early hours of July 26.

Daniel said he woke up around 4 a.m. and discovered that both Mbaya and his phone were gone.

He said repeated calls to Mbaya were unsuccessful until another person’s phone was used to reach him, after which the deceased agreed to return.

Daniel also alleged that Mbaya had previously taken some of his belongings and said he had intended to resolve the matter through legal channels.

“I even told him I would involve a lawyer because I was tired of all these things,” Daniel said.

When asked who first assaulted Mbaya, Daniel responded, “It was Emmanuel.”

He also confirmed that the missing phone had not been recovered.

Another suspect, Joshua Tell, admitted that he knew those who allegedly hanged Mbaya and said his own involvement was helping to restrain the deceased while he was being tied.

“I only participated in holding his legs when they were tying him. Yes, that was my role,” he said.

Daniel’s brother, Nensemka Fwanji, admitted witnessing the assault and said he later took Mbaya to the hospital after noticing the seriousness of his injuries.

“When I came back to the room, I saw he had been beaten mercilessly. I was the one that took him to the hospital,” he said.

Asked during the interrogation whether the missing phone had been recovered, he replied, “No, sir.”

Meanwhile, Mbaya’s younger sister has called for justice, insisting that everyone involved in her brother’s death must be held accountable.

“We want justice. Those who took the law into their hands should also face the consequences of the law. We want them to answer for what they did to my brother,” she said.

She described the deceased as a peaceful and hardworking person, saying she had never known him to steal.

“This is somebody I grew up with. Throughout our lives together, I never heard anyone accuse him of stealing another person’s property.

“He respected everyone and never fought with people. He worked hard to make a better life for himself and was always there for the family whenever he was needed.

“Even those who killed him knew he was a good person. It is painful that such an innocent person lost his life in this manner,” she added.

The Plateau State Police Command had earlier announced the arrest of Emmanuel Newyear, Rinji Daniel Fwanji and Nensemka Fwanji before later confirming Joshua Tell as the fourth suspect in custody.

Police spokesperson SP Alfred Alobo said preliminary findings indicated that Mbaya was accused of stealing an iPhone 12 but was allegedly attacked instead of being handed over to the police.

The command said the suspects allegedly beat Mbaya until he became unconscious before taking him to the Jos University Teaching Hospital, where doctors confirmed him dead on arrival.

Police added that two other suspects linked to the killing are still on the run and that efforts are ongoing to arrest them. The command also said those already in custody would be charged in court after investigations are concluded.