The Olusegun family in Lagos has been plunged into deep sorrow following the tragic death of Rashida Olusegun, who collapsed and died while frantically searching for her abducted husband, Bamidele Olusegun, also known as Alapa. The mother of three had reportedly been tirelessly visiting police stations and correctional centres in search of her husband, a former secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ijesha branch, who mysteriously disappeared.
According to Bamidele’s elder brother, Alabi Oluwasegun, Rashida had been determined to find her husband, leading her to Badagry after hearing rumors that Bamidele was being held on the infamous ‘Potoki’ Island. The island is reportedly known for being a dangerous place where kidnap victims are held. Alabi tearfully recounted how a man at the Badagry Correctional Centre informed Rashida that her husband was alive but held captive on the island after a ransom had been paid for his assassination. Overcome with shock and grief, Rashida collapsed and died before help could reach her.
The man told Rashida that Bamidele’s captors had refrained from killing him because they knew him personally, but were instead keeping him until he starved to death, having accepted a ransom for his life. The payment for his assassination was allegedly made by Ajiboye the current chairman of the NURTW Ijesha branch, who reportedly saw Bamidele as an obstacle to his own ambitions within the union.
Alabi added that the NURTW environment had become dangerous, with the chairman allegedly targeting anyone who spoke out within the union. He himself had to resign from the NURTW due to the constant threats.
However, Ajiboye, when contacted, vehemently denied the accusations. He dismissed them as an attempt to tarnish his reputation. Ajiboye stated, “I have been nursing a leg injury for almost a year now and have not even seen Bamidele in over four years. He is no longer part of our union.” Ajiboye further claimed that rumors about Bamidele’s whereabouts, including reports that he was hiding in Ibafo, Ogun State, were unfounded, and that Rashida’s death was tragic but unrelated to any actions he had taken.
“I am an ordinary branch chairman trying to provide for my family, not a kidnapper,” Ajiboye said. He insisted that any claims connecting him to Bamidele’s disappearance were baseless fabrications intended to ruin his standing.
The tragic death of Rashida has intensified the mystery surrounding her husband’s disappearance and raised new questions about the murky world of union politics within the NURTW. As the family mourns her sudden death, calls for a thorough investigation into the allegations continue to grow.
Peoplesmind
