Homicide detectives have renewed their appeal for witnesses and information on the first anniversary of the murder of Abraham Badru in Hackney, London. Abraham, a 26-year-old Nigerian personal trainer, died on 25 March 2018 in Ferncliff Road, E8 after being shot as he opened the boot of his car.
A year on, officers need to speak to some specific witnesses who may have information vital to their enquiries. A £20,000 reward remains on offer for anyone with information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for Abraham’s murder.
Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “It’s now been an entire year since Abraham was gunned down on the street and while our investigation has made significant progress, we still don’t know why he was killed in such a brutal way.
“One line of enquiry is that this may have been a case of mistaken identity and that Abraham was executed in error, although we cannot discount the possibility that the motive may be connected to one of several relationships he’d had.
“It is hard for everyone involved to understand what could have led to this murder, we need someone to tell us why this happened. We have made several appeals over the past year but there remain a number of people who have not come forward.
“Shortly after 11pm that night there was a man and woman in Ferncliff Road. The woman was white and wearing a three-quarter length Puffa-style coat. She was walking along Ferncliff Road in the direction of Foxley Close, really near to where the murder took place.
“The man was also white and wearing shorts. He was seen a short while after the woman, also walking in Ferncliff Road. Everything would suggest that these are local people and we need to speak to you. Despite the passage of time, I am sure they would remember what happened just minutes later.
“I am also really keen to speak to the person who called the police incident room in June 2018. The caller was ringing on behalf of a friend who I believe holds really important information and could have seen something vital at the time of or immediately after Abraham’s murder. If you’re that person please call us back.
“Abraham’s family, as you can imagine, are devastated and desperate to see someone brought to justice and get an answer to their key question: ‘Why?’
“I personally feel deeply troubled and frustrated when I speak to Abraham’s courageous mother and I have to explain the silence that has descended amongst the community. I do not know why there is a silence. I appreciate that people may be scared by the very nature of the murder within their community. But there are other ways to provide us with information rather than calling police directly – you can speak to the charities Crimestoppers or Fearless completely anonymously. They have amazing track records of helping to remove dangerous people from our streets, a desire we all share.
“I do believe people in the right circles have information and are talking about Abraham’s murder – maybe there is a mother or partner out there who has information or even a confession from their son or boyfriend. Maybe that mother or partner is wrestling with their conscience about what is the right thing to do. I know it is a huge step to call, but consider the pain that Abraham’s mother is going through; you could remove the pain and you will make Hackney safer for your family and everyone who lives and works there.”