From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
It could be said that criminals have taken Ogun State by storm. In 2022 in particular, the state witnessed some heart-rending crimes.
Ogun State, in January, witnessed how the police arrested a 35-year-old man, Eluyera Wasiu, for allegedly planning with his friend, Adeniyi Samuel, to kill his 29-year-old pregnant wife.
The duo, according to the police public relations officer in the state, were nabbed in Ogijo while engaging in fisticuffs.
“It was during interrogation to know the cause of the fight that Samuel opened up and informed the police that Wasiu contracted him to kill his pregnant wife, Bola Taiwo.
“He stated further that Wasiu promised to give him N10,000 for the job, out of which he had already given him N5,000, to pay the balance on completion of the job.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that Wasiu was married to Taiwo, but they got separated due to irreconcilable differences. Wasiu later got married to another woman, who is presently living with him.
“Somehow, he met with his former wife and they started going out together again, which resulted in pregnancy. In order not to upset his new wife, Wasiu asked Taiwo to terminate the pregnancy, a suggestion that she rejected.
“Having tried all he could to abort the pregnancy to no avail, Wasiu decided to eliminate the woman and the pregnancy. In his confessional statement, he stated that he had twice bought food for her from one eatery and laced the food with poison, but the lady, by providence, did not eat the food.
“It was when all his personal efforts to kill her failed that he contracted Samuel to help him eliminate her. He confessed further that he personally took Samuel to the woman’s house and gave him her picture for easy identification.
“But when he didn’t carry out the assignment as agreed, Wasiu demanded the refund of the advance payment he made. His refusal to make the refund led to the fight, which eventually led to their arrest,” Abimbola Oyeyemi, the spokesman of the police, said.
On February 12, the police command in the state disclosed that its operatives arrested 43-year-old Kehinde Oladimeji and his 35-year-old wife, Adejumoke Raji, for being in possession of fresh human parts.
The suspects, said to be residents of 72, MKO Abiola Way, Leme, Abeokuta, were reportedly arrested after different human parts such as hands and breasts, among others, were found in their house. The couple, according to Oyeyemi, claimed to be herbalists who got the human parts from one Michael who resided in the Adatan Area of Abeokuta.
The PPRO said the suspects were reported at the Kemta divisional headquarters by the Baale of Leme Community, Moshood Ogunwolu. Oyeyemi said Ogunwolu told the police that one Pastor Adisa Olarewaju, a co-tenant in the same building as the suspects, informed him of offensive smell coming from the room of the suspects.
He said: “Upon the complaint, the DPO, Kemta Division, CSP Adeniyi Adekunle, quickly led his detectives to the scene, where a search was conducted. On searching the room, a plastic bowl containing different parts of a human being was discovered in the room, and the couple were promptly arrested.
“On interrogation, the suspects confessed they were herbalists and that the human parts, comprising hands, breasts and other parts were given to them by one Michael who they claimed resided in Adatan.
“All efforts to locate the said Michael proved abortive as the suspects could not locate his house. It will be recalled that the dismembered body of an unknown person was found in a swamp at Leme about a week ago, it is not yet clear whether the parts were that of the body or not.”
As the state was still grappling with the gory incident of the couple, men of the state police command arrested a housewife, Ramota Bello, was on February 21, 2022, for the murder of her husband, Saliu Bello.
The incident, according to the report lodged at Lafenwa divisional police headquarters, Abeokuta, by a brother to the deceased, happened on February 12, 2022, when the suspect, who had a minor disagreement with her husband, boiled a pot of water and poured it on her husband who was then sleeping, thereby causing him grievous bodily harm.
The victim was rushed to hospital for treatment, but gave up the ghost the following day, February 13, 2022. The suspect, having realised the gravity of the crime, took flight.
The case was not initially reported to the police until February 21, 2022, when the suspect was sighted in her hideout. Upon the report, the DPO, Lafenwa Division, Kayode Shadrach, detailed detectives to the scene, where the suspect was promptly arrested.
On February 27, a pastor residing in the Akute/Olambe Community in Ifo Local Government Area of the state was arrested for attempted murder and possession of a prohibited firearm.
The PPRO said: “The suspect, Pastor Peter Ayodele Omope, was arrested following a distress call received from one Deji Olaketan who informed the police at Ajuwon Divisional Headquarters that he and one 18-year-old Kemi Johnson took their madam, whom they were working with as driver and housemaid, respectively, to the airport to board a plane.
“After dropping their madam, they made to return the vehicle to the house of their boss’s relation as directed. But on their way home, they were informed that the Oro activity was ongoing at Olambe area, which made it impossible for them to pass through the area.
“They then saw a Celestial Church where a vigil was ongoing and decided to join them since it was already late in the night. While they were at the entrance of the church, the suspect, who happened to be the shepherd-in-charge, came out with a pump-action rifle and, before they could utter any explanation, shot Kemi Johnson in the leg.
“Upon the distress call, the DPO, Ajuwon Division, SP Andrew Akinseye, quickly mobilized his men and moved to the scene, where the suspect was promptly arrested. The victim was quickly rushed to Ifako/Ijaye General Hospital, from where she was referred to Lagos University Teaching Hospital and finally to the Orthopedic Hospital Igbobi, Lagos, for treatment.”
In March 2022, a 23-year-old man, Ikenna James, was arrested by operatives of the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly raping and killing his 29-year-old neighbour, Oluwatosin Adefisayo, a graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
In a statement, the police said the suspect, who lived in the same compound with the deceased, connived with his friend and broke into the apartment of the deceased in the night through the ceiling while she was fast asleep, raped her and strangled herto death.
Neighbours, including the parents of the suspect, woke up in the morning only to discover that the apartment of Adefisayo had been broken into. The neighbours then invited the local vigilance group to the scene.
While at the scene, James was seen coming down from the ceiling where he had been hiding after the dastardly act. He was held down while a distress call was made to the police at Ogijo divisional headquarters.
DPO of Ogijo Division, CSP Onatufeh Umoh, led his men to the scene and got the suspect arrested. On interrogation, James, whose partner ran away, confessed to the crime.
He also informed the police that they decided to kill the victim after raping her because they discovered that she recognized them. Meanwhile, James’s parents described his arrest as good riddance.
They said they had already given up on him as he remained the black sheep of the family. They also appealed to the authourities concerned to ensure that appropriate punishment was served on him.
Another crime that gained attention in 2022 was the incident of a 30-year-old man, Oluwagbemiga Shogbola, who stabbed his friend, Victor Olabiyo, to death over $150 (N61,950) proceeds of a business deal between them in the Ikenne Local Government Area.
It was gathered that Shogbola, a.k.a Oja or Federal, accused the victim of cheating him and taking all the money. It was learnt that, as the disagreement degenerated into a fight, some of their associates attempted to mediate, to no avail.
However, around 8pm on the fateful day, Shogbola was said to have posted a picture of Olabiyo on his WhatsApp status with a tag, ‘RIP’. The suspect, who was later nabbed and detained at the state police command headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, reportedly stabbed the victim to death around 11pm.
One of the victim’s friends, Onyemaechi Onwuzuribe, said Shogbola was given a hot chase as he attempted to board a motorcycle to flee the scene. On seeing his bloodstained shirt, motorcyclists were said to have turned down his request for a ride.
Onwuzuribe said: “Federal was bloodied and I saw him running away though I did not know that he had stabbed Victor (Olabiyo). I knew that they fought earlier that morning over $150 and as soon as I saw him running, I sensed that he must have done something.
“I grabbed him and just as I did, I saw people running after him and crying that he had stabbed Victor to death. That was when I and others tried to hold him, but he escaped and went to the police. If the boys had caught him, they would have lynched him.”
The victim’s brother, Adebowale Opasanya, told newsmen that the deceased was a professional fashion designer. He said the incident was shocking as the two friends were close and visited each other often.
“Victor’s death was shocking to us. I am dazed that his friend, Federal, was the one who killed him just because of $150. I had warned him about some of his friends, but I never thought Federal would do this.
“We heard that Federal ran to Ilishan from Ifo due to something of this nature; he was accused of killing in that area as well,” he said.
In the same month, a notorious and deadly suspected cultist terrorizing Abeokuta and Ifo environs was arrested. According to the Oyeyemi, the PPRO in Ogun State, the suspect, Rotimi Adebiyi, alias Paracetamol, had been on the wanted list of the command over his role in several cult clashes in the state, which led to the death of some members of another cult group.
Said to be a leader of the Eiye Confraternity, the suspect would come into the Abeokuta metropolis to strike and run back to his hideout in Ifo.
“The police operatives, acting on credible intelligence, stormed his place at about 1.30am, where he was apprehended. Recovered from him were one cut-to-size locally made pistol, one live cartridge, assorted charms, weed suspected to be Indian hemp and a cutlass.
“The commissioner of police, Lanre Bankole, has ordered a full-scale investigation into the past activities of the suspect, with a view of arraigning him in court as soon as possible,” Oyeyemi explained in the statement.
As 2022 progressed past the half-year mark, police in the state arrested three members of Eiye Confraternity who forcefully initiated a young girl (names withheld) into their cult after gang-raping her.
The suspects, Daniel Njoku, aka Agege, Damilare Ogundiran and Adebayo Olamilekan, were arrested following a report lodged at the Ajuwon divisional police headquarters by the mother of the victim. She reported that she sent her 15-year-old daughter on an errand in the Akute Odo Area but she was waylaid by Njoku, who forcefully took her to his gang in their hideout where the young girl was gang-raped, beaten and forcefully initiated into their cult.
According to a statement from the PPRO’s office, the complainant further explained that her daughter was threatened by the suspects that she would be killed, if she dared inform anybody about the incident.
Oyeyemi added: “Upon the report, the DPO, Ajuwon Division, SP Andrew Akinseye, detailed detectives to go after the hoodlums. The team, acting on credible intelligence, located the hideout of the group at Akute Odo area, stormed the place and succeeded in arresting three members of the gang.
“The suspects confessed to the crime; they informed the police that they were desperately looking for more members to join their group, especially female members, and that was what prompted them to do what they did.”
Another shocking incident was the crime of a 54-year-old man, Dauda Bello, who was arrested for allegedly killing a 71-year-old woman, Mesesi Adisa. The suspect was said to have cut the victim’s wrists and ankles after killing her.
A statement by the police indicated that Bello was arrested on July 7, 2022. According to the police, the suspect was arrested following the sudden disappearance of the victim, who left home on June 8, 2022.
A relation of the victim then reported a case of a missing person at Sabo/Ilupeju Police Station. The case was transferred to the anti-kidnapping unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department, where technical and intelligence-based investigation was opened.
In the course of investigation, the SP Taiwo Opadiran-led team traced the last place visited by the victim to be the house of the suspect in Olodo area of Imala town, Abeokuta North LGA. The suspect was subsequently arrested and taken into custody for investigation.
On interrogation, Bello confessed to have known Adisa for quite some time, and that they were both into the business of trafficking children. He stated further that he invited the victim that fateful day to discuss their usual business. On getting to his house, he discovered that the victim came with what he thought was a huge amount of money.
This made him to hit the woman on the head with a heavy stick, which knocked her unconscious, after which he carried the body into the bush, where he snuffed life out of her.
Bello confessed further that when he searched the woman’s body, he discovered that the victim only had the sum of N22,200 with her, which he took with disappointment. Having realized that his aim of getting much money from the victim was in vain, he decided to cut off her wrists and ankles, which he claimed to have sold to somebody who fled.
Oyeyemi revealed further that the suspect later took the police to the bush where he buried the victim in a shallow grave. He said the dismembered body had been recovered and deposited in the mortuary.
Sill on the crimes in the year under review, two persons were nabbed by police in connection with the abduction of Pastor Mapai Samuel of Zoe Family International Church, Odo Eran, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The names of the suspects, a female and a male, were given as Opeyemi Ibikunle and Kadiri Jamiu, respectively.
The police explained that they were arrested following a distress call received by policemen at Aregbe Divisional Police Headquarters, Abeokuta, that two men who dressed in military camouflage, accompanied by a woman, raided the church while the pastor was preaching around 8pm and forcefully dragged him out of the church. According to the distress call, Ibikunle and Jamiu took Samuel away to an unknown destination.
Not quite long after taking the pastor away, the assailants called to demand ransom. Upon the distress call, the DPO, Aregbe Division, CSP Ikechukwu Gabriel, and his men embarked on technical and intelligence-based investigation and discovered that the suspects were hiding somewhere in the Adigbe Area of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Gabriel and his men in conjunction with men of the Adigbe Division stormed the hideout, where the pastor was rescued and two of the suspects arrested, while two men in military camouflage escaped.
On interrogation, the female claimed to have been in a business relationship with the pastor. She said that Samuel cheated her in the course of the business, which made her to contact the three men to kidnap him in order to teach him a lesson.
In October 2022, a 39-year-old man, Mfon Jeremiah, and resident of FIRRO Estate, off Adesan, Mowe, Ogun State, was arrested by the operatives of the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly impregnating his 13-year-old daughter.
The suspect, according to the PPRO, was arrested following a report lodged at the Mowe Divisional Police Headquarters by the mother of the victim who reported that she discovered that her daughter was pregnant. She added that when she inquired from the daughter, she was informed that it was her father who slept with her.
The victim was taken to the hospital where it was confirmed that she was four months pregnant. Upon the report, the Divisional Police Officer, Mowe Division, SP Folake Afeniforo, quickly detailed detectives to the suspect’s house where he was promptly arrested. On interrogation, Jeremiah admitted that he was responsible for his daughter’s pregnancy, but claimed to be under a spell when he did it.
He informed the police that he was dreaming having sex with his wife who had separated from him, only to discover that it was his daughter that he had sex with.
As the residents of the state were still smarting from the case of incest by Jeremiah, the police in Ogun, in November, nabbed Segun Ebenezer, who reportedly beat his wife, Bukola, to death over her refusal to hand over a primary school she built in her name to him. According to the Ogun State Police Command, the suspect and the deceased had been quarrelling over the property before he eventually beat her to death.
The police, in a statement released by Oyeyemi, said that the suspect had earlier fled when the voice note his wife sent to her relatives was played to his hearing.
“Unknown to the suspect, the deceased had sent a voice note to her family members, informing them that her husband had used a padlock to hit her on the head while beating her and that if she died, they should be aware that it was her husband that killed her.
“As soon as the voice note was played to his hearing, the husband took to his heels having realised that his evil deed had been exposed.
“Upon the report and the recorded evidence, the Divisional Police Officer, Kemta division, Adeniyi Adekunle, detailed detectives to go after the killer husband and fish him out from wherever he might be. He was subsequently traced to Akinseku village, Abeokuta, where he had been hibernating, and was promptly apprehended.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that their incessant quarrel was because the deceased built a private school in the name of herself and the husband, but the husband who is a carpenter had wanted to take control of the school which the late wife, a graduate, refused. This was the reason the suspect had been beating the deceased, until the fateful day when he used an iron padlock to hit her on the head, which eventually led to her untimely death”, the PPRO stated
The climax of the major crimes that shook Ogun in 2022, however, occurred on December 31, when a couple, Kehinde and Bukola Fatinoye, were killed in a mysterious fire incident at their residence inside the
Ibara Government Reservation Area. The suspected arsonists were believed to have trailed the couple to their private residence before setting the home ablaze.
According to the police spokesman, the suspected arsonists also kidnapped the victims’ son alongside the housemaid and threw them into a river along the Adigbe-Obada axis of the town.
Until his death, Kehinde was a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) while his wife Bukola worked with the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
The victims were said to have been burnt beyond recognition with their remains later packed by policemen and health officials at the scene and driven to the hospital in an ambulance.
Meanwhile, the victims’ son, Oreoluwa decomposed body was retrieved from the river three days later, while the housemaid found his way to safety. He is currently in police custody to help in the investigation to unravel the persons behind the inhuman act.