THE Ondo State Police Command has paraded ten individuals apprehended in various sections of the state for crimes committed in the previous month.
Ondo State Commissioner of Police Peter Abayomi yesterday paraded the suspects at the state police command headquarters in Akure, revealing that one of them is 30-year-old Abdullah Fatai, who murdered his wife and kept her body inside the house.
“On the 27th of March, 2024, a case of murder was reported against one Abdullahi Fatai, aged 30 who was suspected to have killed his wife and locked her corpse in the house till very late in the night,” he said.
“The complainant stated that she left the deceased and her husband at home on the 26/03/2024, for church early hours of the day and returned late on the same date, only for the husband to announce the death of his wife.”
According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect and his wife, Olayode Morenike (late), had always fought over the subject of travelling to check on her child from her previous marriage.
He stated that after killing the victim, the suspect photographed the body and locked it in the house till late at night before raising an alarm.
Further investigation revealed that the deceased was handicapped and had injuries on her stomach and neck that were suspected to be the result of stabbing.
The commissioner stated, “A pair of scissors with a blood stain suspected of being used to commit the act was recovered from the scene of the incident.” The suspect is in jail, and he will shortly appear in court.”
CP Abayomi went on to describe another murder case involving Dolapo Babalola, a serial murderer who specialises in robbing and killing motorcyclists.
“Sequel to the arrest of one Babalola Dolapo Daniel ‘M’ who led police detectives to a shallow grave at Okeigbo where the corpse of Opeyemi Oyelakin, a commercial motorcyclist was exhumed, other suspects have been arrested in connection with the case,” the commissioner added.
“Further investigation revealed that the suspect had killed four persons in various locations and stole their motorcycles. In April 2023, he killed a motorcyclist in Kabba, Kogi State, and Ife along Ilesha road in Osun State, removed some parts from the corpse for rituals.
“In June 2023, he killed another motorcyclist in Ondo town and dumped the corpse in a farm at Oboto bush along Bolorunduro road, Ondo town while in October 2023 the suspect and one Sikiru Mutiu aka S.K deceived his childhood friend by name Joel Olagoke to take them with his motorcycle to a location where he was killed, his body dismembered and handed to herbalists; Mujeeb Lawal and Shina Ojo (both in police custody), for rituals.
“The motorcycle collected from Joel Olagoke was later recovered at Ibadan Oyo State from one Olayinka Abiola. The duo of Abiola Olatunji Toheeb and Ayegbajeje Micheal who are receivers of stolen items and one Oyediran Waheed Olaitan who helps in the production of fake documents to aid the selling of the stolen motorcycles have been arrested. Seven (7) motorcycles have been retrieved from the receivers while one suspect is still at large.”
The commissioner also explained that on the 28th of March, 2024 at about 1800hrs, a case of kidnapping was reported at Ifon Police Station, in which two people were abducted and a woman killed by suspected kidnappers.
“Police Detectives from the division in collaboration with local vigilantes arrested one Muhammad Bello ‘m’, Muhammad Suraju, and Suleiman Saliu. One of the victims identified two of the suspects as part of the people who kidnapped him and collected the sum of one million, eight hundred thousand Naira (₦1,800,000) as ransom before he was released,” he said.
“The following items were found in possession of the suspects; Bags, rope, 2 wrappers, Indian hemp, rings, and a motorcycle. In the same vein, a case of attempted kidnap was also reported at the Uso Division on 11th of March 2024.
The case was transferred to the Police Anti Kidnapping Squad for discreet investigation.
“The complainant reported that while on his farm, at Asolo camp via Owo, he was attacked by one Yahaya Bello ‘m’ and five others armed with guns and made an attempt to kidnap him. The said Yahaya Bello was arrested by the men of SAKS and he confessed to having made an attempt to abduct the farmer along with one Bello (m), Yellow (m), and Babangida (m) who are currently at large, and that their equipment (Guns and Axes) is with Bello (m). Efforts are on to arrest other suspects mentioned by the mastermind.”
One Daniel Marcus, a 22-year-old fruit seller was also arrested with some exhibits which he stole after breaking into a shop in Akure.
The CP narrates: “On 14/03/2024 a case of Shop Breaking and Stealing was reported by a complainant that his shop at Adesida Road Akure was burgled and items such as receipts, mobile phones, laptops, phone accessories worth ten million Naira (₦10,000,000) was carted away.
“The police through InfoTech, arrested Daniel Marcus aged 22 years, and also recovered some of the stolen items. Further investigation revealed that the suspect had burgled other shops and had sold part of the stolen items and also issued receipts to the buyers.
“Items recovered include; 23 laptops of different brands, four mobile phones of different brands, one industrial pressing iron, mobile phone accessories, four new materials yet to be sown, stolen receipt from one of the shops burgled.
Receivers of the items have been apprehended and part of the stolen goods recovered. The suspect is in custody and the investigation is still ongoing.”
CP Abayomi also narrated a case of attempted assassination, saying: “On 18th of April, 2024 at about 07:00hrs, a case of threat to life and demanding money with menace was reported to the police. The complainant stated that she received a call from a strange number and the caller introduced himself as an assassin.
“The caller affirmed that he had killed over 500 people and that three of her staff had paid him to assassinate her. He demanded that a certain amount be paid to an account or the complainant would be executed.
“Out of fear, the victim sent the sum of ₦110,000:00k to the account forwarded to her. Through technical assistance, one Adetokunbo Adesina was arrested. The suspect claimed he was sick and needed money to carry out a surgical operation and decided to use the threat as a means to extort the victim because she refused to employ him in her pure water factory.”
Also, 32-year-old Peter Chigozi was arrested. He is suspected to be a leader of the Eiye secret cult group in Akure.
The Ondo police commissioner said, “On the 26th of April, 2024 at about 09:15hrs, the police received information about one Peter Ifeayi Chigozi ‘m’ aged 32yrs, who has been on the wanted list of the police on cases related to cultism.
“The police swung into action and arrested one Peter Ifeayi Chigozi ‘m’, the number one of Eiye secret cult confraternity at Owode Oba-Ile Akure. His house was searched and the following items were recovered; two cutlasses, seven beret cap, and some other criminal charms. Upon interrogation, he confessed to being a member of the Eiye confraternity. The case is still under investigation.”
He stated that items confiscated from the suspects include scissors, eight motorbike bags, rope, two wrappers, Indian hemp, rings, twenty-three laptops of various brands, four mobile phones of various brands and one industrial pressing iron.
Other items include cell phone accessories, four new materials still to be sewed, stolen receipts, two cutlasses, seven beret caps, and one Toyota Camry.