The Department of State Security Services (DSS) has launched a manhunt for the suspected killers of Olumuyiwa Ewarawon, a 400 Level Psychology student of the Adekunle Ajasin University (AAU), Akungba Akoko, Ondo State .
Ewarawon is believed to have been killed by members of the Cadet Corps, a paramilitary organisation.
Three weeks ago, there was commotion at the school, when a commander of the Cadet Corps, Adedoyin Adeola, a student described as “spillover student” led some gangsters to Ewarawon’s hostel, where he was allegedly beaten to a coma.
A student said: “Ewarawon was sleeping when Adedoyin, known as Iron body, led his gang of Cadet Corps members into Shanghai Villa (a private hostel) and asked for Oluwamuyiwa’s room.
“The next thing we heard was banging on the door. The culprits forcefully entered the room and beat the victim until blood started gushing out of his body.
“After the incident, Adedoyin escaped. His parents who live in Igbotako, Okitipupa Local Government have also fled their home.”
Another student said: “After the beating, Olumuyiwa was rushed to the Iwaro General Hospital.
“His condition worsened and the doctor on duty advised that he should be transferred to another hospital.
“He was taken to the University Teaching Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Oyo State, where he died.”
The news of Ewarawon’s death went viral on social media and has generated lots of controversy in the university community.
Several students recalled that the Cadet Corps once threatened the deceased during a show organised by the university.
The university management has declared Adedoyin wanted.
The Dean, Students Affairs, Bolanle Ogungbamila, said the Cadet Corps would be banned, until the university management investigates the incident.
He said: “The organisation (Cadet Corps) will remain banned while the university management investigates the situation.
“We are on top of the situation and we have advised our students not to take the law in their hands.
“They should remain calm, until the school investigates the matter.”
In a statement, the Student Union Government (SUG) urged Adedoyin to surrender to the police.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, has suspensed all para-military organisations on campus.
He set up a three-man investigation panel to unravel the cause of the incident.
A statement by the Registrar, Bamidele Olotu, said: “In view of the recent activities of para-military organisations that led to the death of a student outside the campus, the VC has suspended the activities of all para-military organisations in the university.
“A three-man investigation panel has been constituted to look into the matter.”
Thirteen years after the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, was gunned down in his bedroom at Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the police are yet to track down his assailants. LEKE SALAUDEEN examines the implication of the unresolved assassination of the number one law officer of the country on national security and administration of justice.
Former Federal Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Chief Bola Ige was shot dead by unknown gunmen on December 23, 2002 in his bedroom at his Bodija, Ibadan residence in Oyo State. It was gathered that the gun men shot the man fondly referred to as Cicero of Esa Oke at about 9.00 pm with a single bullet to his heart. He had returned from Lagos at about 8.30pm and asked his security men to go and have their dinner as he retired upstairs.
The gun men who may have been waiting in the vicinity then stormed the house. After tying up family members, they got one of them to lead them upstairs to the room of Chief Bola Ige where they led his wife and son to an adjourning room and locked them up. The gunmen then met Ige alone in the bedroom and shot him with a single bullet in the heart, family sources said.
He was then left on the floor as the gunmen made their way out without stealing anything. However when one of the granddaughters raised an alarm, family members rushed to his room and then rushed him to the hospital. He died on his way to the Oluyoro Catholic Hospital, Ibadan.
Prior to his assassination, the late Ige narrowly escaped being mobbed at Ile-Ife by an irate crowd that removed his cap and smashed his pair of eye glasses. The incident happened within the premises of the palace of the Ooni of Ile-Ife Oba Okunade Sijuwade shortly after the conferment of the chieftaincy title of Yeye Oranmiyan of Ile-Ife on the wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Stella.
He was lucky to have escaped being injured by the angry mob sponsored by those who hated him. What an irony! Years back, and precisely in 1980 at Ife, Uncle Bola was the central of attraction as governor holding out staff of office to Sijuade during his installation and coronation as 50th Ooni of Ife.
Political observers said Ige’s assassination may not be unconnected with his unwavering support for the Osun State governor, Chief Bisi Akande, who was locked in a battle of wits with his deputy, Iyiola Omisore, an Ife indigene.
The Akande-Omisore imbroglio took a new twist, following attempts to commence impeachment proceedings against Omisore at the State House of Assembly. Ige made Omisore the deputy governor. Omisore had wanted to be governor since 1998, but after the Afenifere meeting in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, where it was resolved that Afenifere leaders in every state in the Southwest should be considered as the governorship candidates of Alliance for Democracy (AD) in their various states, and that where the party members disagree, they should conduct primaries. The situation was, however, different in Osun. Akande was the Afenifere leader and was endorsed by the party leaders and members. He also got the blessing of Bola Ige since 1998. Ige was in control of the party machinery and it was impossible for anybody to become the governor of Osun without his blessing.
It was said that when the title “Cicero” was given to honour Bola Ige by the people of Esa Oke, his home town, because of the inherent traits he shared with Marcus Tullius Cicero of Rome, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was not too comfortable with the title because of the way the powers–that-be at that time killed Marcus Tullius. It was most disheartening that Ige was killed on the Nigerian soil far away from Rome.
The big question still, is who were those responsible for the killing of Ige right in his home at Ibadan? Life could indeed be an irony. It was the same Ibadan where he lived, served and helped to develop, as the first executive civilian governor of the old Oyo State. This same Ibadan happened to be the seat of power, being the capital of the old Oyo State.
It was widely reported that former President Olusegun Obasanjo at a gathering disclosed that one faceless drug baron who the Ministry of Justice was planning to probe was responsible for the cold-blooded murder of the former Attorney General. Surprisingly, the court ordered the release from the Agodi Prison in Ibadan of the accused as advised by the state prosecution for what of evidence.
A school of thought believes that, if Ige had remained in his self-styled siddon look posture at that time and did not join the Obasanjo government, he may still be alive or at worst, he may not have been slaughtered by the assailant. Observers believe that his decision to serve under Obasanjo’s regime was a protest against the way and manner his party (AD) presidential primary was conducted in 1999. No political reasoning could explain the sudden “wedlock”, considering the events of the past. Would Ige had served under Obasanjo if Awolowo were alive? Could it be considered that he went too far to have opted to serve under Obasanjo? However, his patriotism to serve his fatherland when he was invited should not in any way make him one of the high profile political killings that will be swept under the carpet.
The failure of the police to unravel the killers of Ige creates the impression that there is no hope for the common man. According to an observer, the police should be told that Nigerians deserve to know who killed Ige and of course, a host of others killed in similar circumstances for the sake of prosperity and justice.
He added: “This will prove to the world that Nigerians are able not only to detect crime but to carry out justice in the most civilised way as being done around the globe. The police should understand that a murder case in every clime is not statute-barred; that is, the case cannot be closed at any given time. We should not allow the unborn generation to taunt us that a democratically-elected government was unable to find the killers of a former Attorney-General. The reality is 13 years after the murder, the nation is still waiting,” the oberver noted.
Former Ogun State governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba has decried the haphazard manner the investigation of the murder had been handled. “It is clear that the investigation up till today has not been anything concrete. Aside Bola Ige , there are still many unresolved murder cases like that of Harry Marshall, Funsho Williams, Alfred Rewane. If not for Sergeant Rogers, Nigerians would not have heard anything about Mrs Kudirat Abiola’s death.
On his part, Chief Ayo Adebanjo said the manner Ige was killed and the failure to fish out the culprits 13 years after showed that the country had little or no value for human life. ”It is a painful reality that Nigeria as a nation put little or no value on human life. A situation whereby the number one Law Officer of the country, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice was cheaply hacked down in his personal house whereby the entire security apparatus assigned to him just dropped their ammunition and allegedly went to have launch, makes a mockery of security of life and the entire country. It is sad because if the Attorney General could not be spared, then no one is safe.”
An ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos yesterday ordered four persons arrested in connection with the death of the Lekki Free Zone (LFZ) Managing Director Mr Tajudeen Disu to remain prison custody.
Dele Jaiye, 40, Tunde Ismaila, 27, Shakirat Agbaje, 40, and Olalekan Oshinowo, 30, are facing a 12-count charge of assault, murder, conspiracy, attempted murder and unlawful gathering.
Magistrate Folashade Botoku ordered that they should remain in prison, pending legal advice from the Office of Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
She adjourned the case to February 15.
Disu was allegedly killed on October 12, during a disagreement between LFZ’s management and indigenes of one of its host communities.
Prosecuting Inspector Chinalu Uwadione alleged that the accused had on October 12 at Dangote Refinery Company, Lekki Free Zone, conspired to commit the offence.
He said the offence contravened Sections 44, 45, 409 and 410 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The police in Edo State are on the trail of three suspected kidnappers who also kill their victims after collecting ransom.
Among the victims of the kidnappers is Professor Paul Erie, a Professor of Agricultural Economics and Extension in the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma in Edo State.
On Thursday, October 1, the remains of Paul Erie was exhumed in a forest at Igbanke village in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, where the kidnappers allegedly keep, kill and bury their victims.
The professor was abducted on June 16 along Agbor-Uromi road while on his way to his residence at Igbanke.
His abductors collected huge sum of money as ransom, but failed to release their victim.
A statement signed by the police Public Relations Officer, DSP Stephen Onwochei, said the fleeing suspects would be arrested and prosecuted.
Onwochei, in the statement, said the police made little progress in the search for Prof. Erie until September 7 when two Chinese nationals were successfully rescued from their abductors.
He said it was the activities of a special intervention team set up by the Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, that led to the arrest of five suspects.
Names of the suspects were given as Awulu Sunday a.k.a Saseki, Lucky Owuadegbe, Jeremiah Amayo, Chucks Edobor and Stephen Usiagwu.
Onwochei explained that one of the suspects confessed to the kidnap and killing of Prof. Erie and volunteered to take the police Erie was buried.
According to him, “He volunteered and led police pathologist, forensic experts and family experts to a bush at Igbanke village where a shallow grave was identified and successful exhumation of Prof. Erie was carried out.
“Items recovered from the grave and scene are consistent and suggestive that the remains are indeed that of Prof. Erie, also as identified by family members.
“CP Chris Ezike conveys his heart-felt condolences to the family of the erudite Professor and the authorities of Ambrose Alli University on this unfortunate incident.”
•FRSC’s Operation Scorpion is a good start. But much more should be done to save innocent road users from the menace of truck drivers
It is good news that OperationScorpion, a special patrol executed by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway between July 27 and 31 (just five days), recorded 537 arrests and convictions.
But it is not so good news that barely four days after the close of OperationScorpion, a fuel-bearing tanker on Ikorodu Road, Lagos, smashed three other cars before spilling its diesel content on the road and subjecting other road users to a hideous six-hour gridlock.
The Scorpion success and the Lagos setback just underscore the menace of drivers of tankers and container-bearing trailers, and even unruly Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) drivers to other road users. Indeed, drivers of articulated trucks appear to be on a reckless campaign to maul fellow citizens, perhaps for their temerity to use the roads. The government must call these irresponsible drivers to order.
The infractions of the arrested 537 truck drivers are instructive. According to FRSC: trucks moving with unsecured containers, rickety trucks, overloading, battered tyres, lane indiscipline, reckless driving and over-speeding with wanton disregard of the weight for the heavy vehicles, and driver’s licence expiration.
If the operations had been carried out in the night, much more would have been nabbed for poor (almost suicidal) front and rear lighting (if any at all); and thick smoke emissions, coupled with no rear-lighting, that temporarily blind other drivers. For that, many have rammed into stationary vehicles in fatal crashes, in which the few who escaped death copped horrendous injuries. That has continued for too long, as if no one was in charge of regulating conduct on our roads. It should not be allowed to continue.
The FRSC should be commended for its successful patrol to make Nigerian roads safe for everyone. But instead of special operations, such patrols should be routine, an everyday affair — and duly publicised as such — so that errant drivers can have the consciousness that the road is not exclusively theirs to water with fellow citizens’ innocent blood.
Still, the most vital task is enforcing vehicular regulations, even before they hit the road. That would be travelling on the road of prevention, which is by far better than cure.
Those reckless drivers on the road, do they have valid drivers’ licences, granted after passing rigorous driving tests? Are they by any chance under-aged? Did they get the right education and training on how they must relate the weight of their vehicles, to speed, to achieve a harmonious balance? Do they even know the worth of weighbridges to gauge vehicular weights — and even, do the traffic authorities make weighbridges available these days?
And battered vehicles on the road: with smashed windscreens, battered front and rear lights, and worn-out tyres — is there anyone tasked with making sure these vehicles are roadworthy? And if suspect vehicles hit the roads, what are the mechanisms to get them off and promptly punish the offenders?
Then, the most notorious set of offenders: trailers with their containers falling off, often crushing smaller vehicles and their occupants — whose duty is it to ensure that no trailer is driven on Nigerian roads, which container is not firmly secured?
These are the troubling questions the FRSC, their state equivalent like the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), the Police traffic unit and other traffic-control and regulatory agencies must ponder and promptly answer. Besides, federal and state traffic agencies must so harmonise their operations such that each discharges its duties without any clash or friction.
OperationScorpion was a good wake-up call. Now is the time to go after the killer drivers on our roads.
The House of Representatives has directed Inspector-General of Police Solomon Arase to reopen investigation into the death of former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Chief Bola Ige (SAN), seasoned industrialist Pa Alfred Rewane, frontline journalist Dele Giwa and others. Will the police succeed in this mission? Precious Igbonwelundu reports.
Murder cases are not closed. Investigations continue until the culprits are brought to justice.
With this at the back of its mind, the House of Representatives last week directed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase to reopen investigation into the death of former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Chief Bola Ige (SAN), seasoned industrialist Pa Alfred Rewane, frontline journalist Dele Giwa and others.
•Late Dele Giwa
For instance, the question: Who killed Dele Giwa? remains unanswered 28 years after the founding Newswatch Editor-in-Chief was killed. Will the killers ever be found?
Some critics have argued that reopening the cases would amount to a waste of resources because many of them were thrown out of court for want of diligent prosecution.
They argued that unless there are fresh facts that can lead to the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators, the government should concentrate on combating crime.
Some of the murders
For 28 years, Giwa’s blood has been crying for justice. He was killed on October 19, 1986 through a parcel bomb delivered at his Ikeja, Lagos home. It was insinuated that the then Gen Ibrahim Babangida had a hand in Giwa’s death. He was 39.
Despite the public outcry over his death, Giwa’s killers are yet to be brought to justice.
Chief Rewane, a business mogul, National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) financier and a strong critic of the late General Sani Abacha regime was killed in 1994 in his GRA Ikeja, Lagos home by unknown gunmen.
•Late Kudirat
Mrs. Kudirat Abiola, wife of the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola was killed on the heels of Rewane’s death.
Chief Ige was killed on December 23, 2001, at his Ibadan residence.
Dr. Obi Wali, a Rivers State born politician, was killed in the early 90’s in his Port Harcourt residence. His killers are still unknown.
All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) stalwart Chief Marshal Harry, was killed on March 5, 2003, but his killers are still free.
Others are Funsho Williams; Aminosari Dikibo; Ogbonnaya Uche; Andrew Agom; Igwe Barnabas and his wife, Abigail.
Williams, who was strangled in his Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, residence on July 27, 2006, was a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
•Late Williams
A cemetery attendant, Bashir Junaid, who was arrested and detained by the police during preliminary investigation into Williams’ death, has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking a mandamus order compelling the Inspector-General of Police to conduct fresh investigation with the possibility of a fresh trial.
Junaid alleged that the police disregarded his free statement, which could have assisted them to know who killed Williams.
He claimed that the evidence that he tendered was dscarded by the Federal Central Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, Lagos.
Why murders remain unresolved
There have been concerns about the police’s inability to solve execution killings and other high-profile crimes. Many reasons may account for the police’s inability to to track these killers.
Some analysts believe that corruption is so widespread that suspects can pay their way out of prosecution. Although the police may have strong leads and evidence, such can be traded for money and the case allowed to die a natural death.
It is also difficult for the police to go after killers where they are closely connected to the government. A government with killers within it will not back efforts to bring culprits to book.
Also, the police inability to apply forensic science in unraveling murders has not helped matters. Besides, poor funding is also a handicap, with most policemen ill motivated.
Although Nigerians have repeatedly demanded justice for the deceased and other murdered persons, the seeming helplessness of the police as well as curious silence of successive governments on the issue have made many to believe that the state was sanctioning extra-judicial killings as alleged by human rights groups.
Lawyers’ view
But lawyers who spoke on the issue, endorsed the move by the legislators, noting that it will end the reign of impunity in the country.
They argued that there was no time frame to investigate a criminal matter, urging the police to ensure adequate evidence is gathered.
•Ngige
To Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN), the lawmakers should be invited by the Inspector-General of Police to offer evidence or leads that would be of help to the agency.
‘‘I do not think there is anything wrong with the resolution by the honourable members.What I expect the Inspector-General of Police to do upon receipt of the resolution is to invite the members who moved the motion to come forward and offer the evidence or leads that would assist the Police in reopening the cases.
‘‘It’s not a question of just passing a resolution; they should supply the evidence. It seems the evidence may not have been destroyed as erroneously thought.
‘‘However, if the honourables fail to supply the required evidence to the Police, the case files should remain closed. As there is no statute of limitation for crimes, whenever the evidence is adduced, the case files could be re-opened,’’ he said.
Activist lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) believes that the resolution is in accord with the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to reopen illegal killings and end impunity in the country.
‘‘Since there is no statute of limitation, murder cases which were covered up can be reopened now. Because killers were not prosecuted in the past, life has been devalued. In the last six months not less than 80 people have been killed by armed gangs in Lagos area alone.
‘‘In many parts, assassins, kidnappers, robbers and terrorists are having a field day. Occasionally, some suspects are paraded and then illegally executed by the police without any trial. The officially sanctioned murder has to stop. The investigation ordered by the house is in the interest of the country,’’ said Falana.
•Akintola
For Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) who noted that the House does not have the power to give the IGP directive, however said the resolution was commendable..
He said: “Although it is a commendable initiative, the House of Representatives must know that it has no such powers as to give directives to the IGP.
‘‘That is the function of the executive and the legislators must read the constitution very well to know the limitations of their powers. They can only pass resolutions or recommend to the IGP not giving him directives.
‘‘Having said that and despite the term directive being a misnomer, I think the current executive should reopen investigation of those state murders and assassination in order to bring the culprits to book.
‘‘I was one of the prosecutors in the case of late Bola Ige and I can tell you that the executive arm of government at that time bungled the prosecution. They did everything possible to frustrate the prosecution of the suspect.
‘‘One of the key witnesses that the prosecution team hoped to rely on based on his statement at the police, was later discovered, to have spent about a year in the same cell with the accused person.
‘‘The executive arm then was not interested and it won’t be a bad idea for this government to reopen the cases, since there is no statute of limitation on criminal matters.
‘‘A lot of questions remain unanswered, like why AIG Mrs. Ojomo was transferred? It will gladden our hearts if all culprits of state murders are brought to book.’’
For Norrison Quakers (SAN), the lawmakers’ intervention is in order and murder investigation can be reopened.
He said: “It is important to note that Legislative Powers of the Federation is vested in the two legislative arms of the Nigerian State and the powers are well defined and spelt out in the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“It includes, but not limited to making laws for the peace, order and good government of the Federation including the federations units (States) in relation to matters within the exclusive legislative list set out in the Constitution and the Police and other government security services of the government of the Federation come within the purview of the National Assembly. Which power, I believe must be jointly exercised.
“It is commendable that the House of Representatives has given this directive, but in my view, crimes committed cannot be barred by time.
“There is no legislation in Nigeria, that states that criminal investigation and subsequent prosecution must be conducted and concluded within a specific time frame.
“It is against this backdrop that, I can safely say that whether the House of Reps directs or not, the Police as .
“The oversight functions of the legislature over institutions of government saddled with security, must include funding towards training of personnel, acquisition of machinery and state of the art technology in enforcement, prevention, investigation and prosecution.
“If we reflect on the statement made by the retired Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, that he presided over a poorly equipped military, it will give us insight into why our agencies saddled with the responsibilities of ensuring protection of lives and property, prevention of crimes, investigation and prosecution are unable to do discharge there constitutional duties.
“Perhaps, with the emergence of this new government, funding will no longer be an issue. If the right technology is acquired and deployed, substantial progress will be made in the several unsolved murders.
“So, the families still in grief will give sighs of relief, if the investigations are reopened, findings are made, persons culpable are arrested, tried and subsequently convicted.
“I believe, the House of Reps in their oversight functions over the Police, has called on the IGP to reopen the cases. I appreciate the fears expressed such as assembling of witnesses, collation of evidence, possible destruction of existing evidence, unwillingness of some persons coming forward etc, but as a country, we must move forward.
“It is for the new IGP to request for the macro and micro tools, the institution he is heading needs to successfully carry out the legislative directive.”
Ritual killers have lately laid siege to some communities in Ogun State, leaving the residents to live in pains and perpetual fear, KUNLE AKINRINADE reports.
Outrage in Ogun communities as ritual murderers go on the rampage
When he set out for business on June 10, 2014, the only thing on the mind of a belt hawker in Itele area of Ota, Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area, Ogun State, was how he could make a huge sale. He had no inkling of the danger that lurked around when some men in front of an uncompleted building on Alhaji Jamiu Sulaimon Street, beckoned to him.
He cheerfully responded to their call, thinking that he was about to make some sales. Unknown to him, the supposed customers were ritual killers. They seized him as soon he arrived. His friend, who was also a hawker, had to raise the alarm after waiting for about 30 minutes without a sight of him.
By the time policemen from Itele Police Division stormed the building, the hapless hawker was found wriggling in pains. A big gash was found on his neck and blood was gushing out of his battered eyes as the fleeing ritual killers had tried to slaughter him and pluck out one of his eyes.
The poor boy, however, survived the unfortunate incident after he was taken to a hospital for treatment, while a few arrests were made by the police.
But since the incident, killing of innocent people for ritual purposes has not ceased in the rustic community. On May 5, 2015, men of the Itele Police Division rescued an unidentified 28-year-old lady from an uncompleted building in the Unity and Peace Estate along Lafenwa-Itele Road, after she was lured there by some persons suspected to be ritual kidnappers.
While she was kept in the building, her face was covered with a cloth and her mouth was gagged. Her hands and feet were also bound to prevent her escape. During the rescue operation, the decomposing body of a missing job seeker, Miss Precious Kessington Omorodion, was also discovered in the building.
Our correspondent learnt that some of her belongings, including phones, bags and other women accessories, were found at the scene.
The Nation had published the strange disappearance of Precious while returning from a visit to one of her cousins in the Ilishan-Remo area of the state on April 19, 2015. She was allegedly abducted by one Mayowa, who had promised to get her a job.
Our correspondent learnt that Mayowa had met Precious in Meiran area of Alagbado, Lagos and asked her out but Precious turned down his request for a relationship, saying that her priority was not dating but securing employment.
Horror scenes
Similar scenarios have since played out in other parts of Ogun State. Among them was the horrific sight at Eposo village in Isara, Remo North Local Government Area, Ogun State on Tuesday June 16, 2015, where policemen discovered the decomposing body of a Science Laboratory Technology student of Gateway Polytechnic, Sapaade, Miss Morenikeji Owolabi.
The mutilated body of the 21-year-old student was allegedly found in a shrine owned by a suspected ritualist, Femi Awise, who is now on the run.
The late student was said to have visited Awise’s shrine for undisclosed reasons but did not return home, fuelling suspicion that she might have been kidnapped.
Those who saw her while she was being ferried to the place were said to have instigated the arrest of the commercial motorcycle operator who conveyed her to the shrine, leading to the discovery of her dismembered body.
Men of the Ogun State Police Command however succeeded in apprehending three suspects who allegedly connived with Awise to perpetrate the crime.
Another sad episode occurred on Friday June 19, 2015, in Oju Ore area of Ota, Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area, where an eight-year-old pupil of a private school on Funmi Ayopo Street, Master Olamilekan Olajide, was allegedly killed by one of his teachers for ritual purposes.
It was gathered that Olamilekan’s teacher, one Sunday Anaeto, allegedly connived with two others, Uche Isaac and Opeyemi Shodeinde, to carry out the dastardly act. It was alleged that the suspects lured the pupil into a corner of a classroom and killed him for rituals.
Our correspondent learnt that the suspects threw the mutilated body of the boy into an uncompleted building behind the school. Anaeto and his accomplices were however caught by vigilant residents and promptly handed over to policemen at the Obasanjo Farm Police Station, Ota.
The school building has since been destroyed by an angry mob while the suspects are being being tried at an Ota Magistrate’s Court.
It was however a narrow escape for 97-year-old grandfather, Pa Iposiola Samaiye, on June 16, 2015, when he was rescued by policemen from Aye Forest in Isire village, along Ijebu Ode/Benin Expressway, after spending one week in the kidnappers ‘den. Pa Samaiye was taken to a hospital for treatment while the mastermind of his abduction, Emeka Obi, 40, was apprehended by men of the Ogun State Police Command.
The baits
In the case of the unidentified 28-year-old lady rescued in Itele, she was allegedly lured into captivity after some men had promised to secure her a lucrative contract. She reportedly told journalists: “I met one of the ritual killers two weeks ago and the relationship became deeper after the guy introduced himself as a contractor and promised to secure me juicy contracts.
“The man called me two days ago and told me about a contract worth about N1.5m, but I could not go and meet him because I was sick. The man later came to my residence in Lagos and persuaded me to come for the contract deal.
“But on getting to Unity and Peace Estate, we headed for an uncompleted building. One other person joined us. But when we got to the building, I smelt a rat. The building was already plastered and the floor had been cemented too.
“But before I knew what had hit me, both of them had pounced on me. They beat me up and tried to rape me only to find that I was observing my period. They then tied my two hands and legs and covered my face and mouth with a cloth. They agreed to come back at night to complete the assignment. It was a miracle that passers-by rescued me.”
In her comment shortly after the strange disappearance of Precious, her twin sister, Constance, said she feared her sister might have fallen victim to Mayowa because of her desperation to secure employment.
She said: “She travelled to Ilishan-Remo to see one of our cousins on Easter Sunday, from where she told me on the phone that Mayowa had asked her to attend an employment interview with an Apapa-based manufacturing outfit where he works. Three days later, she informed me that she would be returning home on Thursday April 9, 2015.
“On the day she promised to return, she told me that she had reached Berger Bus Stop on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. A few minutes later, she sent me a message on Whatsapp that she was at Lafenwa area of Ota, Ogun State.
“She later sent me another text message saying that she was on her way to Spain. From then, she was no longer reachable as her three phone numbers were switched off. I feared she might have been kidnapped by Mayowa because our cousin, who she visited at Ilishan-Remo, said she overheard my sister asking the said Mayowa on the phone to pick her up at Berger Bus Stop.”
Outrage
Speaking with our correspondent in different interviews, outraged residents of Itele community have urged law enforcement agents to step up vigilance in order to stop the heinous killing of people in the town for ritual purposes.
A community leader, Elder Wole Sowole, observed that the community had been under siege from ritual kidnappers lately because of security laxity.
His words: “We were indeed more than shocked to discover another ritual kidnappers’ den in this town. We had thought that such occurrence would never be seen again after a male belt seller was rescued from an uncompleted building used by ritual killers last year.
“It is sad that our community has been turned into a den of ritualists because there is no adequate security. The law enforcement agencies relaxed their vigilance after a belt seller was rescued last year. Such cases may not abate if adequate security measures are not put in place to stop or fish out wicked people from turning this community into their devilish den.”
A resident of Funmi Ayopo Street, Mrs Sarah Edunjobi, said: “We are currently living in fear since a school was discovered to be the den of ritual kidnappers. Only God knows how many innocent people would have been killed in this gruesome manner. We are calling on security agencies to help us rid this community of evil men who have started preying on innocent people.”
Condemning the killing of Miss Owolabi for ritual purpose, a community leader in Eposo, who asked not to be named, said: “We do not want a repeat of this dastardly act in our community, hence we are calling on the state government to save us from the grip of kidnappers who are prowling our community unchallenged. We have destroyed the shrine where the evil was perpetrated but we are hoping that police will come to our help so as to secure our community from these marauders.”
When contacted on his mobile phone for comment, the spokesman of Ogun State Police Command, Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, did not pick his call while a text message forwarded to his phone was not replied at press time.
The two suspected killers of the former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Prof Albert Ilemobade, were yesterday arraigned before an Akure Chief Magistrate’s Court at Oke-Eda.
Daniel Ita and Olayemi Bamitale were arraigned for alleged murder and robbery.
They allegedly strangled the late Ilemobade and dumped his body in a store at his Ijapo Estate home.
Prof Ilemobade’s decomposing body was found seven days later.
Police Prosecutor Inspector Isah Atanegbe told the court that Ita and Bamitale conspired to commit murder by strangling the deceased in his home on June 21.
The charges are: “That you Daniel Ita Effiom and Olayemi Bamitale on June 21 at 9pm at 1, Ikere Street, Ijapo Estate, committed felony to wit: murder.
“That you Daniel Ita Effiom and Olayemi Bamitale on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did kill one Professor Albert Adeoye Ilemobade by jointly strangling him to death.
“That you Daniel Ita Effiom and Olayemi Bamitale on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did conspire together to commit felony to wit: robbery.
“That you Daniel Ita Effiom and Olayemi Bamitale on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did rob the late Prof Albert Adeoye Ilemobade of Toyota Rav 4 2008 model with registration number Lagos GGE-589-CF valued yet unknown and N7,000 property of the late Prof Ilemobade.”
The prosecutor urged the court to remand the accused in custody, pending the outcome of legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Victoria Bob- Manuel, ordered that they be remanded in Olokuta Medium Prison, until the case resumes for further hearing on September 18.
Stakeholders of Abaomege Community, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, have condemned the killing of a French tourist, Nagnan Denis, in the area. They described the killing as wicked and barbaric, even as they urged security agents to arrest the perpetrators.
In a communiqué by Zaccues Ifeuwabundidi, Chief Charles Igwe and Mr. Gregory Onwe, issued at the end of their emergency meeting, the stakeholders lamented that the incident had damaged the peace in the community.
They said the incident stained Ebonyi State globally and called on the government to strengthen security to checkmate hoodlums.
The stakeholders, who promised to assist the security agents in their investigations, urged the police to stop unnecessary arrests to douse tension in the community.
Unknown gunmen last Tuesday killed Nagnan Denis in Ozara forest and left his wife injured.
The killers of Abia-based human rights’ activist, Chidi Nwosu, who was murdered at Ameke Abam in Arochukwu Local Government on December 29, 2010, have been sentenced to death by hanging by a High Court in Arochukwu.
The court, presided over by Justice Uche Okoroafor, sentenced the six killers- Acha Uka Awo, Chimezie Awo, Oti Uka Awo, Sampson Ngozi Atum, Awo Uka Awo and Iroha Orji Ogbuagu to death for their involvement in the act.
The convicts had through their counsel, Victor Mbanaso, entered a no-case submission on the grounds that the prosecution did not satisfy the requirement of the law by linking them with the murder.
Justice Okoroafor dismissed the no-case submission and requested that the accused should enter their defence, but they refused and relied on the evidence of the prosecution witnesses.
The evidence of the prosecution was that the first accused, a driver to the deceased, who usually stayed with him whenever he came home, did not sleep in the deceased’s home on that day, but that moments after his killing, he was seen scooping the deceased’s blood into a container.
