The earthly cloak of the Channels Reporter, Precious Owolabi who was killed during the Monday protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), in Abuja would be buried in Zaria on Thursday.
He was hit by a stray bullet while covering the protest by members of the IMN, also known as Shiites.
Body of the 23 years old corp member was sent to his parents in Zaria, Kaduna State on Wednesday, and thereafter moved to the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Mortuary.
Precious’ parents , Mr. and Mrs. Owolabi were still in shock and could not talk to the press as at the time of filing this report.
A source close to the family however said that his body would be buried tomorrow.
On Tuesday, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mourned the death in a statement by Mrs Adenike Adeyemi, Director of Press and Public Relations.
It said: “NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, led other management staff to the morgue of the National Hospital, Garki, on Tuesday morning to retrieve the corpse. It was retrieved and sent by an official ambulance to his parents in Zaria, Kaduna State,” Adeyemi stated.
It added that the NYSC was saddened by the unfortunate death of the corps member saying: “The management is deeply saddened with the sudden and unfortunate death of Owolabi, FC/18C/5226, while on an official assignment during the Shi’ites’ and Police clash in Abuja.
“We join the entire Owolabi family in this moment of grief and pray that the Almighty God console them and repose the soul of the departed.”
It said the director-general was said to have described the incident as “a sad day for the NYSC family.”
Another corps member serving with the Leadership Newspapers, was also reportedly hit by a stray bullet during the protests and is currently recuperating at the National Hospital.
Meanwhile, some media groups under the Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) has condemned the killing.
The group comprises African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Civic Media Lab, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), Daily Trust Newspaper, International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), International Press Centre (IPC).
Others include the Media Rights Agenda (MRA), OrderPaper, Paradigm Initiative, Premium Times, Premium Times Center for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ), Sahara Reporters, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), TheCable and the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ).
It called on relevant authorities to ensure justice prevails in the matter by bringing everyone complicit in the matter to book.
