On Thursday, the body of Obodo Uzoma Simeon lay at the spot in an alleyway between two houses in Lobowaddo till 11.40am as around 150 Africans, including Nigerians and Kenyans, demanded that the police, who had arrived at the scene around 7.15am, immediately arrest the alleged accused and attempted to prevent the police from taking away the body.
The presence of the largely burly foreigners and the initial few numbers of the police personnel created a panic-like situation in the locality. The Africans threatened to take the law in their hands if the murderers were not arrested. Finally, after a lot of arguments with the police, and with an enhanced force from several police stations now at the spot, the police were able to conduct the panchanama and take the body in a hearse van towards the Goa medical college.
According to some African eyewitnesses, the attack started around 11.40pm on Wednesday when some alleged drug peddlers from the Anjuna-Chapora coastal area drove to an area in Parra where some Africans had gathered and attacked them with choppers and knives. The locals arrived at the spot in three cars and around 10 motorbikes.
As the Africans attempted to flee on their motorcycles, they were chased by the gang from Anjuna-Chapora. The murder victim had his right hand chopped off with a chopper as he was riding a two-wheeler and was later hacked to death as he attempted to flee on foot. Five other Nigerians suffered stab wounds, some of them serious. Two have been admitted to a hospital.
"We are angry at how the local people and the police are not doing anything tangible despite us having provided them details of the assailants," a Nigerian at the spot told TOI. One of them suspected that the local drug peddler from Chapora has the backing of some senior politicians.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, who resides close to the spot of the attack, said, "The clash probably occurred over control of 'territories'. Around 150 Nigerians gathered and challenged the police to take away the body. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The Africans are controlling the cocaine trade in Goa. More than 150 Nigerians are staying in Parra. What are they doing here? They say they're students and are registered with an open university in Pune. They come to India on student visas, register in Pune, and then come to Goa to sell drugs. The Goa government needs to enact a law to prevent these people from staying here. Only foreign students registered with a Goan institution should be allowed here, not students registered in other states."
The body was found near the residence of local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Michael Lobo, who said his constituency was a victim of a drug war and that the murder was linked to narcotics trade.
"I have been saying this over and over again. Goa is in the grip of a drug mafia. This murder is a narcotics murder. The police are very lax," Lobo said.
A legislative committee report tabled in the state assembly earlier this month clearly pointed out to a police-politician-drug mafia nexus operating in Goa. It names several politicians as well as police officials who are alleged to have links with the narcotics mafia.
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The clash probably occurred over control of 'territories'. The Africans are controlling the cocaine trade in Goa. More than 150 Nigerians are staying in Parra. What are they doing here? They say they're students and are registered with an open university in Pune. They come to India on student visas, register in Pune, and then come to Goa to sell drugs. The Goa government needs to enact a law to prevent these people from staying here. Only foreign students registered with a Goan institution should be allowed here, not students registered in other states.
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