Ogun Police parade suspected New Year Day murderers of CBN staff, family

The police in Ogun State have paraded five suspects allegedly involved in the murder of a member of staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kehinde Fatinoye, his wife, Bukola and son, Oreoluwa, in Abeokuta on New Year Day.

The murder took place at the couple’s private home on Oba Karunwi Road, Ibara Government Residential Area, Abeokuta shortly after they returned from a church service to usher in the new year.

After killing the couple, the attackers set their bodies and house on fire and abducted their son and another occupant of the house throwing the two of them into a river along Adigbe-Obada axis in the state capital. While the other victim survived, Oreoluwa did not. His liveless body was recovered days later.

Lekan Adekanbi, the family driver to the couple and four others were paraded at the Ogun State Police Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta on Friday during which the spokesperson of the Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi named Adekanbi the prime suspect in the crime.

He said Adekanbi hired two men to rob the family but when they found out that there was not much cash available in the house, they demanded an electronic money transfer. He added that after the attackers received the alert, they realised the possible danger in their act and decided to kill the couple in the gruesome manner that they did to cover up.

He said: “In the cause of the investigation, one Lekan Adekanbi, a driver to the deceased family, was arrested based on circumstantial evidence, while the investigation continued.

“The arrested suspect, Lekan Adekanbi, suddenly collapsed in the cell on the 2nd of January, 2023 and he was rushed to the hospital for medical care. But while in the hospital receiving treatment, he suddenly jumped from the bed and escaped through the fence of the hospital. His escape further confirmed the police’s suspicion of his involvement in the case.

Oyeyemi said the police then intensified efforts after the Commissioner of Police in the state ordered the anti-kidnapping unit to join forces with the homicide unit to rearrest Adekanbi. The suspect was traced to Iseyin in Oyo State before he was eventually arrested from his hideout in Abeokuta on January 21, 2023.

“On interrogation, Lekan Adekanbi, who has been the couple’s driver since 2018, confessed to being the mastermind of the dastardly act”, Oyeyemi said.

“He stated that he invited the other two suspects, Ahmed Odetola, a.k.a Akamo, and Waheed Adeniyi, a.k.a Koffi, to come and join him to rob the couple. He confessed further that he took the step because the couple refused to increase his salary, and that he approached them for a loan to buy a motorcycle, but they didn’t oblige him”, Oyeyemi further stated.

The police spokesperson said on the day the crime was committed, the suspect Stated that himself and the gang members waited for the family to return home from the crossover service before they struck right in their home to which he had access. Oyeyemi said Adekanbi confessed further that the Alsatian guard dog in the house did not attack them because it was familiar with him being the person that always fed the dog.