[size=15pt]Murder in church: Lebanese mafia fingered in Patricia Chidiak's death • Victim saw death coming, acquired bullet-proof jeeps [/size]

By OUR REPORTERS
Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Fears of the existence, in Nigeria, of a deadly Lebanese mafia have again come to the fore as the police and family of slain businesswoman and socialite, Patricia Chidiak, seek to unravel her killers. This is even as Daily Sun gathered yesterday that the Imo State-born woman who was married to a Lebanese named Malik Habib, may have had cause to believe that her life was in danger, suspicion which saw her investing heavily in bullet-proof vehicles. A source told Daily Sun that there might have been as much as three such vehicles at her disposal. Chidiak was gunned down during mass on Sunday morning, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Creek Road, Apapa - a place where her killers seemed to have been dead sure that she would not be sitting behind the protective amour of a bullet-proof vehicle. Unconfirmed reports are pointing fingers in the direction of Lebanese business cult on whose big toes she might have stepped. So, as the authorities labour to uncover those behind Sunday's dastardly act, several theories have begun to emerge. However, one of the strongest theories as to what may have happened is that the businesswoman is another victim of a dreaded Lebanese 'mafia' believed to be operating in Lagos, but domiciled in the Apapa area. But not too many people are bold enough to say what they know about the goings on around them. Mum seems to be the word everywhere - her family, friends, police and even neighbours. A source who identified himself simply as Tunde alluded to what he described as “the Lebanese mafia operating in Nigeria.” Tunde recalled that a key member of this dreaded gang (names withheld by us) not too long ago, was instrumental to the disappearance of a Nigerian ship within the country’s territorial waters. He said the man was later deported to Lebanon, but after a while, he relocated to neigbhouring Cotonou, Benin Republuc, from where he continued to run his ‘businesses’ in Nigeria. The same source said for some time now, the same ‘deported’ man had been moving freely in Nigeria, especially in the Apapa area of Lagos. Another source, Kunle disclosed that when the controversial Lebanese was away, his younger brother managed his oil bunkering and other businesses as the general manager. The link between Chidiak, her husband and the gang is still what the authorities are trying to unravel but Daily Sun gathered that the slain socialite may have unknowingly walked unto the gang's path when she and her husband decided to run their business together. As for Chidiak whose marriage to Habib was believed to be experiencing turbulence at the time of her death, with talk of another woman coming into the picture with her husband, some members of the larger family did not seem to like the influence she was exerting on the business, but it was not clear if that discomfort and distrust was enough to elicit murder. But the web becomes even more intricate when viewed against the backdrop of the fact that there is also a link between Chidiak's family and the said deported Lebanese kingpin. In fact, Daily Sun gathered that on one of his clandestine visits to Nigeria, soon after relocating to Cotonou, one of the persons he picked bones with for encroaching into his business was Chidiak. In fact, he was said to have even accused husband and wife of mismanagement. His anger caused disaffection among the 'family members' who felt, Habib and wife were cutting corners. According to information Daily Sun picked up from police circles, the problem later degenerated into an uncontrollable crisis that ended in a no love lust relationship between the husband and wife - Habib and Chidiak. Habib was said to have gathered his four kids and departed to another country probably, Lebanon, on Friday. Two days later, Chidiak was murdered in the church. With the killing, the 'deported' Lebanese was said to have again slipped out of the country. On the nature of businesses that he does, a police source told Daily Sun that the belief is that he fronts for some members of the military cabals which ruled Nigeria until the present democratic dispensation. Incidentally, much as there is so much street talk about the operation of the Lebanese group, not too many people are eager to openly discuss them. Even within the Nigerian families and circle of friends, everyone is claiming to be too devastated by the killing that the shock would not let them say a word. But Daily Sun gathered that this might actually be because no one wants to offend the Mafia. So, mum is the word everywhere, even at the police, where the matter is being handled from the highest level. "These people have connections", a policeman told Daily Sun on the condition of annonimity. He cited a situation some years ago, when one of them was being investigated. "He just put one call through and we were all ordered to leave the place: order from above." Like the Italian mafia family the Lebanese kingpin and his family occupied bungalows in a large expanse of land in Apapa, while Chidiak had her home at another street in same locality. A lady who identified herself simply as Angelina disclosed that she heard the woman bought three bullet proof Jeeps for only herself, which means that she was aware of the evil machination and modus operandi of the 'family' or whoever that was after her life. “She never knew they would have the courage to send assassins boldly to the church during service and in broad day light just to eliminate her,” Angelina alleged. She continued, “Why is it that people are so scared of this man (the deported man)? Everybody seemed to be scared of the Lebanese – an ordinary foreigner. How can we be scared of a foreigner because he has connection? He can call Inspector General of Police and even Mr. President and they would support him!” she stressed.

Source: http://odili.net/news/source/2009/may/5/506.html