WE STRANGLED HIM TO DEATH, SAYS KILLERS OF FUTA’S FORMER VC

• ‘I jumped on his chest several times’
Akure—The two domestic staff of late former Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, Professor Albert Ilemobade, said yesterday that they strangled him to death because they wanted to make good money by stealing and selling of his RAV 4 sport utility vehicle, SUV.
Parading the suspects, including the night guard, Daniel Ita, 24, and driver Olayemi Bamitale, 36, at Ondo State Police headquarters, ýpolice said they were on the trail of other accomplices.


The parade of the suspects came as the 73-year-old wife of the deceased made a wish to the state police Commissioner, Isaac Eke, to allow her have a five minutes chat with the killers of her husband.
The suspects confessed that the late 78-year-old Professor of Veterinary Medicine was nice to them, but that they had to kill him because they needed “good money to survive,” by stealing the RAV 4 SUV.

Bamitale said he was sacked after he had earlier stolen the car and attempted to ýsell it, but could not do so because the car had a tracker.
The suspect said he came back after he was released from police detention on the order of the deceased. He said the detention annoyed him, so he connived with the guard to finish what he started.
He said he had to kill the professor to avoid failure for the second time.

The suspect said their plan was to flee to a neighbouring country after successfully selling off the car.
Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered from a top police chief that three other suspects were reportedly in police custody, but were not paraded alongside the two killers.
Vanguard learned that the other suspects include a herbalist, Dr. Okon, the housemaid and the woman who helped the deceased to recruit the night guard and driver.

‘I jumped on his chest several times’
Giving graphic details of how the heinous crime was hatched, Bamitale said the plan to kill their master was perfected on a Saturday, while the killing was carried out on Sunday night.
He said: “After I was released from detention on the order of my master, I went back to make plan another plan. I asked Daniel the guard if he wants to make good money and he said yes. So I informed him of my new plan.

“Daniel was the one giving me information about what is happening in the house after I was sacked. He even paid for my transportation to Akure, because I have not been working since I was sent away.
“Daniel lured out Baba (late professor) by telling him that there was an electrical spark in the house after I had stationed myself near the kitchen entrance.
“Immediately Baba came out, I strangulated, while Daniel put cloth in his mouth to stop him from shouting.

“After a few minutes, Baba was still struggling. I then jumped on his chest several times and he died. We dragged him into the generator house and locked him inside the store that Sunday night.
“We left the house and locked the gate outside so that no one will suspect us. We went inside his bedroom and took the car key and some other items such as i-Pad, two phones, laptop, two bags and N7,000, which we used to fuel the car.

“We left Akure and headed to Lagos. We left with those items so that the car will not be tracked again because Baba used these gadgets to activate the tracking.”
He said they were stopped by some policemen at the entrance of Ijapo Estate, adding that the cops recognised Daniel as the security man to the deceased and were asked to go without further questioning.

Bamitale said they encountered some challenges after the men of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, booked them for invalid vehicle particulars and they had to sell the phones and i-Pad for N3,000 to pay for the release of the vehicle.
“We sold off the phones and laptops after being booked by FRSC officials. We sold the phones to retrieve the car from them before heading to Ijebu Ode with the hope of selling the car.”
‘Herbalist warned us against killing him’

Corroborating the driver, Daniel said he had earlier visited a herbalist, who warned against the killing of their boss but said Bamitale insisted that the man must be killed if they really wanted to make money without being caught by the police.
Daniel said Bamitale told him that if the professor was not killed, he would track the car again because he was unable to sell the car in his first attempt because the car was tracked and he had to return it.

Speaking before parading the suspects, the Police Commissioner, Isaac Eke, said the killers were arrested while trying to sell the car at Iloti, Ogun State, to a buyer who became suspicious because of the ridiculous price tag they put on the SUV.

He said the buyer later alerted police, who rounded up the suspects where they were lodged.
Eke said the suspects were arrested with the car, marked GGE589 CF, and brought down to Ondo State Police Command.

He also disclosed that relatives of the deceased had identified the corpse and deposited it in the morgue.
He assured the public that the suspects and their accomplices would l be brought to book.
“They will be charged to court for murder, not kidnapping,” he said.

Adeseni Ilemobade, who is the last child, said all they wanted was justice. Adeseni asked the killers what their motive was despite all the family had done for them.
Source: Vanguard

Woman, grandchild killed during Lagos cult clash

One-year-old Opeyemi Yusuf was licking a lollipop, comfortably straddled to her grandma’s back en route to the market, when a bullet pierced through the back of their tricycle.

It hit Opeyemi in the head and penetrated to Mrs. Osayemi Victoria’s head, killing both victims on the spot.

Opeyemi was her mother’s only child, while the 57-year-old grandma was reportedly visiting when tragedy struck.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the tricycle they boarded ran into the middle of a gun battle between rival cult groups along Ishawo Road, Ikorodu, Lagos State.

The incident, which happened on Tuesday, was said to have created confusion as residents ran helter-skelter.

The driver of the tricycle, Awoyemi Olaoluwa, said the single bullet pierced through the nylon back side of the tricycle and hit the duo who was in the middle.

The other two passengers, on the right and left, escaped unhurt.

Olaoluwa said, “I had picked Mama at Total bus stop. She was my second passenger and she was backing the child. I later picked another passenger along the road and she moved to the middle.

“I was heading towards the Agric bus stop along Ishawo Road. But when we got to Mechanic Village bus stop, I started hearing gunshots.

“My passengers asked me to hurry because there was a fight in the area. I was told the cultists were on motorcycles and were chasing and shooting at one another.

“We had not moved too far when I saw that the woman’s head was bowed and resting on my back seat.”

He said his clothes had also become soaked in blood.

The other passengers, who suddenly realised what had happened, were said to have raised the alarm.

“My passengers told me to stop. That was when I knew Mama and the child had been hit by a stray bullet,” he added.

The tricycle driver was said to have called for help as the other passengers alighted and mixed with a crowd of people that had formed around the scene.

PUNCH Metro learnt that instead of helping the victims, the people started using their camera phones to take snapshots of the woman and the baby, who still had the lollipop stuck to his mouth.

Policemen from the Owutu division were said to have been alerted to the scene.

Our correspondent gathered that the corpses were first taken to the police station before they were deposited at the Ikorodu General Hospital morgue.

Opeyemi’s mother, Bukola, a teacher, said she was supposed to be in the tricycle with her mother, because they had planned to go to the market together.

She said, “My mother came from Ekiti to Lagos. She had spent one month with us.

“We were to go to the market together. She collected Opeyemi from me and put him on her back. But as we were on the way, I remembered that I left my phone at home and told her I was going to pick it.

“I told her to wait for me at the bus stop. It was long after when I was called that something terrible had happened. I got to the place and saw the bodies of my son and my mother.”

PUNCH Metro gathered that the victims’ family members were only interested in burying both victims in their hometown in Ekiti State.

A police source, however, assured that the police would intensify investigation to apprehend the suspects.

He said, “We will get the culprits.

“Nobody can do this kind of thing and go scot-free. The blood of the innocent child will hunt them. They will have no rest.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, said he would call back.

But he had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

Source:Punch

WHY I SLEPT WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTERS – 75 YEAR OLD

A 75-year old grandfather, who allegedly slept with his granddaughter, has told the police that he was lured into the shameful act by his daughter.

The Septuagenarian, Mr. Umoru Choji, who lives in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, was said to have had canal knowledge of two of his grand daughters before he was caught.

But speaking with newsmen, Choji, who was paraded by the police, said, “It was these girls that put me into this trouble. They were the ones who always come to me and they arose my interest in sex. I didn’t even know when I started having sex with them.”

The shameless old man said the young girls reported him to the police after he stopped them from coming to his house.

He said: “I am married, and my wife is still alive. These girls were the ones that lured me into the act. It was not my intention. I know I had sex with them many times, but I stopped them from coming to me. So, they went and lie against me, and the parents of the other girls reported me to the police,” adding, “I feel bad, I did not know they will tell people what we were doing. The children deceived me and they went and report me to their parents.”

While parading the suspect, the Police Commissioner, Nasiru Oki, said: “The suspect, Mr. Umoru Choji, aged 75, lived in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau state. The suspect had canal knowledge of his grand daughters several times before he was discovered.

“One of the grand daughter is just 11 years old, while the second daughter is 14-year old.
“The suspect, who is already in police net, will be charged to court as soon as all the processes are completed.”
Source:The Nation

My arrest is politically motivated – Adoke’s cousin arrested for robbery, kidnapping

Seventy-two-year-old veteran journalist and a self-acclaimed human rights activist, Pa Ahmed Adoke, said he had yet to fully understand why he was in custody, when he was paraded alongside 45 others on charges of armed robbery, kidnapping and cattle rustling.

Adoke, who is related to a former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, was paraded with the others by the police in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital on Monday. But he continues to maintain his innocence as his family said he was on his own.

Even though the police did not allow journalists to interview the suspect, the septuagenarian kept shouting that he was not guilty of the allegations preferred against him by the police.

He kept shouting on top of his voice that his arrest was politically motivated. According to him, the police only invited him to come and clarify some petitions written against him. He added that it was surprising that he was being detained and paraded as a criminal.

“I am not guilty of the offences the police alleged that I committed. The police only came to search my house following a petition and found nothing. I am surprised that I am being paraded this way. I am innocent, I am innocent. I did not commit any crime,” he shouted.

Alhaji Bello Adoke, who is the father of the former Minister of Justice, confirmed to journalists later in a media briefing that the suspect was a member of the Adoke family.

He explained that the man in custody is a cousin of his son (former Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke), but added that his arrest had nothing to do with the family.

He said that the suspect acted on his own and that whatever happened to him should not be linked to the family.

While parading the 45 suspects, the Force Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, in company with top police officers from the state, said the police arrested Adoke aka Buruja, John Sule (40), Adoke Jimoh (25) and Suberu Amina aka Devil (53) and other suspects for suspected armed robbery and kidnapping.

He named the other suspects as Isiyaku Bello aka Mentor (37), Ekundayo Daniel aka Ekun (40), OjoRaji (22),Audu George aka Doctor (23), Sunday Omouyaaka aka Major (20) and Godwin Isah aka White Lion (32).

He claimed that the suspects had made useful statements and confessed to their involvement in several robberies and kidnapping, adding that investigation was still in progress.

Ojukwu said, “Intelligence reports and useful information from good citizens led to the arrest of the suspects known to have been fingered severally in armed robbery and kidnapping cases. Indeed all the suspects are on police wanted list.”

The FPRO recalled that following the upsurge in activities of armed bandits, kidnappers, miscreants and hoodlums along the Auchi-Okenne-Lokoja, Ajaokuta-Lokoja and Kabba-Obojana highways, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, directed the Special Anti-Crime Task, led by Mr. Chris Ezike of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad to relocate to Kogi State and quickly address the situation.

He added that consequently, the team arrived Lokoja on May 27, 2015 and was supported by a strong force of 300 personnel of the Police Mobile Force drawn from across Nigeria and reinforced by others from the Kogi State Police Command.

According to him, the IGP charged the Task Force to assess the crime situation in the state and quickly design a template to contain the surge and to identify all criminal syndicates, their leaders, foot soldiers and sponsors and arrest them with operational precision.

He said the team was mandated to carry out sporadic raids of the suspects’ bases and recover arms, ammunition, dangerous weapons, charms and all other items/properties reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Ojukwu said, “I am pleased to inform you that barely three weeks into this operation, which has been prosecuted with vigour, dedication, utmost professionalism and passion, tremendous results have been recorded.

“The team arrested armed robbery and kidnapping suspects and recovered one AK47 rifle with serial number BA 360834 with 13 rounds of live ammunition,” he said.

According to him, on June 13, at about 2am, operatives of the team who were acting on a tip-off, arrested Isa Omouyoaka aka Cat or Sunday Moscow (36), of Ihimo in the Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.

He added that a search on the suspect’s home led to the recovery of the AK47 rifle and 13 rounds of live ammunition, one single barrel gun with two rounds of live ammunition and three automated teller machines cards of different banks.

The FPRO said further investigation revealed that the recovered AK47 was snatched from Corporal Apogu Dzokwo, who was shot dead on May 18 2015 at about 11.30am along the Ayere/Ajowa Road in IjimuLocal Government Area of Kogi State.

According to him, the deceased policeman was on an escort duty with an expatriate engineer, Mr. Karunadosa Dorawaka of Boroni Prono Construction Company Limited, who was equally kidnapped by the alleged armed hoodlums.

Ojukwu said, “The suspect has admitted to the crime and named his criminal gang including Salami Abdulazeez aka Target. He has equally admitted to several other armed robberies and kidnappings along   the Okene-Lokoja Highway and Kabba Road. Part of the ransom he received has also been traced to one of his wives’ bank accounts.

 “The suspect further revealed that they got their arms and ammunition from Idris Shaibu and Eneji Obeito aka Diligent, who are both from Ihima in Okehi Local Government Area of the state.”

Meanwhile, Ojukwu said at about 1.20pm on June 10, 2015, along the Eika Road by Itakpe Junction, a special team on ‘stop and search’ duty also intercepted a Toyota Corolla Saloon car, 2013 model, driven by one Mr. Sule Eneji aka ‘Landlord’ (42) with registration number Sokoto AL 304 SKK.

According to him on close examination, the vehicle had another registration number, Lagos LSR 569 CM engraved on the bumper, grill and head lamps.

Investigation revealed that the vehicle was snatched at gunpoint two days earlier at about 7.25pm in Minna, Niger State from Mr. Linus Sunday, a staff of FrieslandCampina WAPCO Nigeria Plc.

The FPRO stated that further investigation led to the arrest of other members of the gang.

Ojukwu said, “The gang members are Sadiq Usman (27), Jimoh Idris (45), Johnson Abraham (55, blacksmith and gun manufacturer); Yekini Ibrahim (41) and Karim Saliu (66).

“Similarly, the following vehicles and other exhibits have been recovered from robbers: Honda Accord with registration number RV 982 KJA; Mazda 323 saloon car with registration number YAB 209 DY; Kia Sportage Jeep with registration number AE 498 DTM; ML 450 Mercedez Benz SUV with registration number KJA 866 AA; Honda Accord with registration number CX 487 ABJ and Honda Accord with registration number KAB 316 AA.

“Other exhibits include one cut to size locally made double barrel gun; one wooden butt gun; one muzzle pipe gun; four cartons of three-phase prepaid metre with box; nine hexing mamas metres; one MOJEC metre box (empty) and gun manufacturing equipment/accessories.”

The FPRO said the police team also arrested five suspects for armed robbery and cattle rustling.

He also said the police team rearrested a kidnapping suspect who allegedly escaped from KotonKarfe Prisons and was involved in armed robberies.

“He was said to have been operating with his co-escapees responsible for the upsurge in criminal activities in Kogi State in recent times.”

The FPRO said that at about 9.30am, on June 15, 2015,operatives on stop and search duties along Okpella-Okene Highway stopped a commuter bus with registration number AA 802 KKH for routine search.

He stated that the search revealed a sack in which some exhibits were discovered neatly concealed in the vehicle.

According to him, the exhibits are two locally made double barrel guns dismantled into parts; two locally made single barrel guns dismantled in parts; four cutlasses; three sharp knives, 50 rounds of live cartridges, five flashlights and other items.

He said that the IGP was excited that crime rate in the state was on the decline, adding that the task force would improve on intelligence analysis to rescue a kidnapped judge of the Kogi State High Court, who was still in captivity.

Source:Punch

We use Italian method to bypass hi-tech security – Bank robbery Suspects

A suspected leader of a robbery gang that has been terrorising Ogun state and its environs has been arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Ogun State Police Command, Imagbon, Abeokuta. The suspect, Ibrahim Olasunkanmi, popularly known as Jaga, reportedly escaped from Akure Prisons where he was awaiting trial during a jail break in 2013.

How he got into Police net
Curiously, he is a 1994 graduate of Philosophy from Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University), Ago-Iwoye. He was arrested alongside four suspected members of his gang at OPIC roundabout junction, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, after an operation, last week.
The suspects were said to have operated using two motorbikes, one of which was driven by Olasunkanmi to attack fun seekers returning from MKO Abiola Stadium.

Luck, however, ran against them after they were accosted by a team of policemen who subjected them to a search following their incoherent answers.
At the end of the search, Police sources said three live cartridges were recovered from Olasunkanmi’s pocket, consequent upon which they were taken to the station.   At the Police station, sources hinted that further searches were conducted on them and a locally made, cut-to-size pistol was also discovered from his waist.

Suspect opens up
In this interview with Crime Alert, the 49-year-old father of two disclosed that he started robbing during his undergraduate days.   He revealed that his gang used what is known as ‘Italian method’ to open bank vaults, no matter how strong it is.
Among other robbery operations perpetrated by his gang, according to him, was that of SS Peter & Paul Anglican Church in Ake area of Abeokuta, four months ago. He said he met some of his gang members while serving a jail term at the Akure Prisons.

Reveals operational name
His words: “ My operational name is Jaga. I started stealing when I was still a student of Ogun State University, Ago Iwoye. We usually went for operations outside the state. One of the robbery attacks was that of Akure branch of Union Bank in 2005. I was not the leader of the gang. The operation was led by Alhaji

( Pastor) Matthew, Saudi, Cosmos and I.
It was carried out before the workers resumed . We did not use guns to shatter the glasses. We used cylinder gas, cutters, chisel and other house breaking implements to gain entry. While inside the banking hall, we made straight to the vault where we used Italian method to open it.

Italian method as mode of operation
At this point, he was interrupted and asked to explain what Italian method is. He giggled and continued: “You won’t understand. Italian model involves applying sense when breaking into banks that are usually fortified with high-tech gadgets before using house-breaking implements to gain entrance.
The method is also used to break into vaults, no matter how fortified the lock is. At the end of the operation, we made away with N50 million. I got N4.5 million. That was aside the money I collected from other places (in the bank) that I tucked into my pocket.”

Arrested in Ondo
The bandit further stated that after the operation, he immediately left for his maternal home in Ibadan, Oyo State,where he squandered part of the money on women and clothes. He also said he used part of it to buy an acre of land in Ogun State.
But his flamboyant life style was short-lived, following his arrest by policemen from Ondo State Command, at his hide out. Seven other members of the robbery gang that participated in the Akure bank robbery were reportedly arrested also from their respective hideouts and taken to Akure, Ondo state, for discreet investigation.

Jail break
Olasunkanmi and members of his gang were reportedly charged before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Akure, where they were remanded in prison, awaiting trial. Seven years into their stay in prison (in 2013), some gun men reportedly invaded the prison and effected the release of their members. Other inmates, including Olasunkanmi and members of his gang reportedly cashed in on the opportunity and fled. He said:
“ I seized that opportunity to escape through the bush. I spent three days in the bush until I came out to an express way, from where I boarded a vehicle to my mother’s home in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.   Some friends gave me money and I left my mother’s place for Lagos to hide.
From there, I returned to my father’s place at Oke-Efon, Abeokuta, where I formed a new gang. Members of my gang include Femi Jonah, Tunde Ayedotun, Idowu Timothy and two others, Nzeribe and Zobo, who are still at large. We had three locally- made guns.

“In February, 2015, my gang attacked SS Peter & Paul Anglican Church, in Abeokuta, where we made away with a huge amount of money including laptops, computer sets, mobile handsets and other valuables. We sold the stolen items in the market, pretending they were second hand ware.”

Advise to criminals
He, however, ended up with an admonition to others still in the illicit business to repent saying: “Robbery does not pay. Though it is difficult to leave if you are getting money from it. But such money will never be spent in peace because you will always be watching your back for policemen.”
Two suspected members of his gang, Idowu Timothy and Tunde Ayedotun, were also discovered to be jail birds. While 46-year old Timothy who hails from Egbe, Kogi State, confessed to have bolted away from Ado-Ekiti Prisons during a jail break last year. 25 year-old Ayedotun, on his part , said he had served a two-year jail term at Ilaro Prison for robbery.
Source:Vanguard