The Osun State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of wanted suspected cultist, Rasheed Hammed, popularly known Oko-Ilu.
Oko-Ilu, who has declared wanted for terrorising Ede and allegedly caused deaths of many, was arrested by men of the anti cultism unit of the State Police Command in Osogbo.
It was gathered that he was arrested around 4 a.m. in his hideout in the State capital and is currently cooling off in the police custody.
Rasheed, a welder by vocation, is being trailed by the security agents for allegedly causing death of many people in Ede community.
‘Rasidi Baale Oko’lu’ was allegedly linked to the death of Hassan Adedeji, a Higher National Diploma graduate of Banking and Finance of Federal Polytechnic, Ede, awaiting his call-up letter, as well as, an Okada rider, whose identity was not made known.
Confirming the incident on Sunday, Police Spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola said the suspect was arrested late on Saturday night.
He was consequently declared wanted by Osun State Police Command, saying anyone that harboured him would also be treated as a criminal.
Opalola had in March this year said Rasidi was wanted in connection with offences of murder, arson, ritual killing and armed robbery.
It further read, “suspect has been causing menace in Ede and the entire Osun state. Anybody by harbour the suspect will be treated by the police as accomplice to the crimes. Anybody having useful information to his whereabouts will be handsomely rewarded”.
Abdulrahman Abduraheem, the Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology in Oyo State, has refuted rumors that the state government intended to give back some schools to their original owners, whether they were missionaries or private citizens.
The Commissioner stated that the government never expressed a willingness to hand up the control of schools to their original owners when it clarified the State Government’s position in a statement over the weekend.
He asserted that Governor Seyi Makinde had only recently urged members of the Old Students Association to submit their request to the Ministry of Education at Loyola College, where a hall bearing the name of Ondo State Governor Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu had just been donated to the school.
Waterfield Luxury Hotel Akobo, Ibadan
The statement quoted the Commissioner as saying: “There is clearly no truth to the story making the rounds that the government of Oyo State was about to return schools to their original owners.
“The government does not have such intention and there was nowhere His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde made that statement.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the governor was confronted about a possible return of the Loyola College, Ibadan, to the Old Students Association and he asked the association to direct its request to the Ministry of Education for necessary engagement. “He did not give any directive on the return of the school or any school, whatsoever. The Honourable Commissioner added:
“It is true that the state has developed a proof of agreement with the Incorporated Trustees of GCIOBA, but that does not in anyway amount to a blanket return of all schools to their original owners.
“While the state will not shy away from productive partnership with stakeholders in the education sector to support its policy of free and qualitative education, it will not take any step capable of upsetting the cord of alliance already existing in a highly treasured sector like education.
“Let me use this opportunity to address some interests who appear bent on twisting the submission of Mr. Governor on this subject upside down to look for other things to do as it is clear they will not succeed in the inglorious path of attempting to whip up religious sentiments on this issue.”
A federal lawmaker representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa federal constituency of Oyo State at the lower chamber of the National Assembly, Honourable Shina Peller, on Saturday paid a condolence visit to the family of the abducted student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Rachael Opadele, killed on Wednesday.
This was contained in a statement made available today to ODUDUWA NEWS by Hon. Shina Peller’s Press Secretary, Kola Popoola.
Racheal, abducted and killed alongside Mr Olugbenga Owolabi; owner of a hotel where she worked part-time, was a final year student of LAUTECH studying Fine and Applied Arts. She took up the part-time job at the hotel in Abaa community close to the institution pending suspension of the ASUU strike before hoodlums kidnapped her and the hotel owner on July 28 around 8pm at the hotel.
Waterfield Luxury Hotel Akobo, Ibadan
While commiserating with the families of the slain student and the hotelier, Honourable Peller expressed his heartfelt condolences on the demise of their loved ones, and prayed that God consoles them for their loss.
Also, Honourable Peller seized the opportunity of his visit to Ogbomoso to meet with the representatives of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in the five local governments that make up Ogbomoso to discuss the ugly security situation being experienced in the town with a view to addressing it.
Kola Popoola Press Secretary Office of Honourable Shina Peller.
World record holder and reigning world champion, Tobi Amusan has won the 100m hurdles gold at the ongoing Commonwealth Games.
She did it in a Commonwealth Games in a record of 12.30 seconds.
Recall, Tobi Amusan had been in the news for the past few weeks over her recent world record breaking as World Champion in the 100m hurdle race.
Just weeks after her victory at Oregon, USA, she has added another gold medal to her feathers having won gold at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Emotions ran high on Friday when family members and friends gathered to inter the remains of a final student of the Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Rachael Opadele, at the Baptist Conference Cemetery, Aroje, Ogbomoso.
Opadele was abducted by gunmen last week alongside Mr Olugbenga Owolabi; owner of a hotel where she worked part-time due to the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities. They were both killed on Wednesday by their abductors despite payment of N5m ransom.
Owolabi was said to be living in Maryland, United States of America and recently decided to invest in a hospitality business in Ogbomoso. The hotel was said to have been opened in December 2021 and he was killed a few months after.
Sources said he travelled outside of the country a few weeks ago and only returned to Ogbomoso the day he was kidnapped by the hoodlums.
Rachael’s corpse was taken from the mortuary to the burial for interment witnessed by the deceased’s two siblings, members of the First Baptist Church, Abaa and the Lydia Auxiliary, a unit she belonged to in the church.
The pastor in charge of the church, Rev. Gbenga Adedokun, in a brief sermon at the cemetery said security should be prioritised by those in government.
Adedokun said, “Death does not strike according to age. There are times the younger person will be taken and the older ones will be spared by death. Death is the end of all but nobody knows the time. That is why we must all be ready. Age doesn’t determine who the next to die is but judgment is fixed for all.
“The poor, the rich, the young and the old will stand to give account of their sojourn here on earth before the throne of God. Nobody knows who the next person is but judgment is fixed.”
The bereaved mother, Mrs Grace Opadele, in a brief interview with our correspondent on Friday said that she couldn’t query God over the incident.
She said, “I cannot query God over the incident. Rachael had many dreams which I cannot mention all. The request I want is that the government should tackle insecurity with seriousness. I don’t want what happened to me to happen to anyone. It’s a painful thing which I don’t want others to experience.
“I also want the government to find a permanent solution to the problem of ASUU. I am not seeking justice. I am not interested in any case. The governor should address insecurity and the problem in the education sector. Those are the two requests I make of the government.”
The management of LAUTECH during a condolence visit to the mother of the murdered student described the killing as saddening, while praying to God to console the family.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the institution’s spokesperson, Mr Lekan Fadeyi, said the government was working to improve security in the area. He said the university had told the family to make available to it any information they wanted to escalate concerning the case.
Apart from the two victims killed by the gunmen, they also shot dead a commercial motorcycle rider popularly called Okada rider contacted to convey the N5m ransom bearer to the kidnappers’ den, Mr Idowu Ajagbe. But the ransom bearer luckily escaped with gunshot injuries. He was said to be the one who broke the news of the gunmen’s havoc after collecting the ransom.
The slain LAUTECH student who was studying Fine and Applied Arts was said to have started a part-time job at the hotel in the Abaa community close to the institution pending the suspension of the ASUU strike before hoodlums kidnapped her and the hotel owner on July 28 around 8pm at the hotel.
Our correspondent gathered that the lady’s father died some months ago back and the family had yet to overcome the grief when the kidnappers struck.
It was further gathered that there were cries at the homes of the bereaved families on Wednesday when news filtered in that the abductors killed them after collecting ransom.
The senseless killings sparked a massive protest in the community, forcing students and youths including commercial motorcycle riders to block the Ogbomoso-Ilorin highway.
The First Baptist Church, Abaa, was also hit hard by the killing because Rachael and the Okada rider, Ajagbe, were members of the church.
While Rachael was a member of Lydia Group in the church, Idowu was said to be the treasurer of the church. The death of the members was devastating to the church.
Adedokun told our correspondent that the motorcycle rider was contacted by the Baale of Abaa to assist in conveying the ransom bearer to the kidnappers and he obliged.
Adedokun said, “The Okada rider was our church treasurer and before any member can attain that position, they must have shown commitment, integrity and availability to the service of God.
“Rachael was a member of Lydia Auxiliary. Lydia Auxiliary is a union under Women Missionary Union (in Baptist churches). Last Sunday was Lydia Week for the year and the lady was slated to handle one of the programmes but she could not participate because she was abducted. Before then, she was always available. Her mother is also a member of the church. Her husband who was Rachael’s dad died late 2021.
The Governor – Elect of Osun state, Senator Ademola Adeleke has vowed to defend and retain his electoral victory before the election petition tribunal, declaring that his emergence as Governor-elect is entrenched in total compliance with the law and will of the people.
In a statement issued on his behalf by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the Governor-Elect declared that the July 16th election was one of the most transparent election in recent Nigerian history, assuring that people’s mandate freely given against overwhelming odds will be defended and validated.
According to the statement, Senator Adeleke said PDP legal is taking appropriate action on the filing, calling on his supporters at home and abroad to remain calm as “This divine victory cannot be stolen through the backdoor..
” I urge the good people of Osun state who voted massively to reject bad governance to remain calm. We are doing the needful to defend their mandate. We will do all within our powers to ensure judicial validation of our victory as this is an election globally certified as a great advancement in electoral transparency and integrity.
” We also want to reaffirm our faith in the judiciary as a bastion of hope and justice. We have unshakeable trust in God that this election petition shall end in another landmark victory for us and the resilient people of Osun state”, the statement concluded.
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has said that the state “is not anybody’s father’s inheritance”.
Apparently responding to a statement credited to his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, that the 2019 governorship election was rigged in favour of the incumbent governor.
Governor Abiodun said that he would rather focus on his social contract with the Ogun people and not “join issues with anyone who wants to play God.”
Amosun had on Friday said the election that produced Governor Abiodun was fraudulent, vowing that he would ensure the removal of the governor come 2023.
Speaking with reporters shortly after the grand finale of the 50th anniversary of the Abeokuta Club, on Saturday, Abiodun called on the people of the state to ignore his predecessor, insisting that he would not join issues with him.
“I will not be distracted by any person or persons who have a problem with self-delusion. I will not be distracted by any person who does not appreciate that Ogun State is not anybody’s father’s inheritance, we are all stakeholders in this commonwealth called Ogun State.
“I am not going to join issues with anyone that wants to play God; I will leave them to God, God can deal with whoever is challenging His authority and wants to play God. All I can say is that what we stand for in Ogun State is an administration that is committed to providing purposeful leadership and purposeful infrastructural development across the length and breadth of the state,” the governor said.
Abiodun who also noted that his administration would continue to be against a campaign of discord that would disrupt the peace and continued development of the state added that his administration remained committed to the development of all sectors of the state economy.
He, however, expressed his disappointment that a former governor and a sitting governor in 2019 would cry that he was rigged out during the election.
A business woman, Asiata Oladejo, has told a Mapo Grade A Customary Court, in Ibadan, to grant her divorce on grounds that her estranged husband, Abidemi, was undependable and abandoned her to the mercy of armed robbers.
Oladejo made the submission, yesterday, in her counter argument in the divorce suit filed by her husband.
”My Lord, I am yet to recover from the shock I experienced when a gang of thieves raided our house.
”He hid in the toilet, leaving me to pant in front of the armed robbers, who terrorised the entire residents of the house.
“My lord, when the thieves arrived at around 1am. on that night, my husband was nowhere to be found to defend the children and I.
“Unknown to me, he hid in the toilet. He only came out when they had gone. My husband wanted us to continue living in that house,” she said.
She said that she begged him to rent another apartment, but he refused.
She accused him of being a habitual womaniser.
Abidemi, who is a fashion designer, earlier said that his wife was ill-tempered.
”She comes to my shop unannounced to torment me.
”It is true that I hid in the toilet when armed robbers attacked our house. All the attempts made to bring her back home failed, because she said she was unnecessarily scared,” he said.
He prayed the court to grant him custody of the three children because he had been a responsible father.
Delivering judgment, the President of the Court, Mrs S. M. Akintayo, granted the order restraining Oladejo from threatening, harassing and interfering in the private life of Abidemi.
Akintayo granted custody of the three children to Oladejo, adding that she was in the best position to cater for them.
“Both petitioner and respondent shall be responsible for the education and other welfare of the children.
“In addition, Abidemi shall pay a monthly feeding allowance of N20,000 for the children’s upkeep.
“Both of you must maintain peace and order,” Akintayo held.
She, however, noted that there was no marriage to dissolve between the couple, because their union could not be considered as a marriage.
Akintayo added that the marriage was not in accordance with laid down customary laws of Nigeria.
The remains of the former Inspector General of Police, late IGP Tafa Balogun NPM, fwc is laid to rest today August 6, 2022 according to Islamic rites, in his country home at Ila-Orangun, Osun State. Below snapshots are for photostory.
