The Oyo State Police Command had paraded 40-year-old Mutiu Idowu before them on Tuesday for the murder of Olusegun Rufus, a neighbor who had offered him a loan.
According to the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Adewale Osifeso, who presented the suspect on behalf of the State Police Commissioner, Adebowale William, at the Command Headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, the suspect admitted to killing his benefactor for him to escape repaying the money.
According to him, the suspect left after killing the 70-year-old victim and taking the car that served as security for the loan.
He claims that following the inquiry, the suspect would face charges in court.
“One Adesope Adeolu reported at Eleyele Divisional Police Headquarters that on the same date at about 0900hrs he noticed that his neighbour’s entrance door was opened which was unusual.,” stated Osifeso.
“On further enquiry, he found his neighbour one Olusegun Rufus ‘m’ dead in the living room in his pool of blood. He stated further that he suspected that the deceased might have been murdered by an unknown person.
“Based on the investigation and credible intelligence, one Mutiu Idowu ‘m’ was arrested and confessed to having killed the deceased in order not to pay the money he loaned from the deceased.
“The vehicle that he used as collateral for the loan which he stole after the murder of the deceased has also been recovered.”
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,SAN, has assured that his administration will continue to maintain peace in the State,stressing that it is the responsibility of government.
The Governor commended the security agencies over the arrest of terrorists involved in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo.
Governor Akeredolu spoke in his office on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to his office by officers of the Federal Fire Service, led by the South West Zone L, Commander and Assistant Comptroller of Fire Service, James Olatunji.
The Zone comprises Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States.
While thanking the Almighty God for the arrest of the perpetrators, the Governor noted that the blood of the innocent worshipers spilled in a sacred place of worship and the fervent prayers of the people also contributed to their arrest.
Arakunrin Akeredolu, who reiterated his administration commitment to protecting the people and their property, reemphasised that the recent shooting in Owo had nothing to do with the June 5 attack.
He said:”We knew about this about a week ago. Arrest has been made over a week ago. I know there was ongoing investigation and because of that, there was no need for us to make it public so that the security agencies, especially DSS, who were majorly involved are not compromised.
“The arrest were made about last week, we were briefed, but we had a pact with them not to go public and as at this morning two other people were arrested.
“We know that now that it has been made public, the security work may be difficult. We must thank Almighty God that this arrest has been made. Where they attacked was a sacred place and the prayers of the people have been answered.
“The blood of the innocent people they killed are crying. What happened in Owo thereafter, the recent shooting, was not to maim or kill. By the grace of God, we will continue to find a way to maintain peace in this state. That is what we owe our people.”
The Governor while stressing the importance of the fire service, said if not for their timely interventions at different occasions, properties worth several billions of naira would have been lost to various fire incidents in different parts of the state
Earlier, the Zonal Commander, James Olatunji, appreciated Governor Akeredolu for the harmonious relationship among the State government, the Federal and State Fire Services as well as all the security agencies in the state, adding that Governor Akeredolu has consistently supported the Federal Fire Service in the state with logistics and other important needs to boost their activities.
He also applauded the Governor for making the state safe and habitable for the citizenry by improving on the security architecture across the state, just as he expressed the readiness of his team to key into the security architecture of the state to further secure the lives and property of the poeple.
Olatunji revealed that between January 1 and August 9, 2022, the Service saved five lives while one life was lost during fire incidents. He added that property worth N3.139bn were saved just as the state lost property worth N164.2m.
According to him, the properties included houses, shops, market, event centres, fuel tankers, trucks and others.
He said a total of 46 cases were recorded during the period under review.
He added that just last Friday afternoon, he personally led a crew of fire service to Sijuwade area where properties worth N50m were saved.
The Ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has called on the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Alkali Baba Usman, to as a matter of urgency call the Senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial District, Teslim Oloye Teslim Kolawole Folarin to order before he turns the state into another field of political crisis.
This was as the ruling party also carpeted the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, over what was described as raising false alarm with its press release two days ago, Oyo state PDP said the opposition party is now synonymous to Folarin’s hooliganism and rascality.
It would be recalled that the opposition party had in its press release alleged that the state Governor, Seyi Makinde and the Chairman of the state Park Management System (PMS), Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi were to be held responsible should anything happen to Folarin.
The ruling party in a press statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Akeem Olatunji today, said it was rather unfortunate that Folarin, who has continued to bring the office of a Senator of the Federal Republic to serious ridicule by his gutter politics and has continued unrestrained in his self imposed hallucinations. The ruling party said, “Folarin is being chased and tormented by his own shadows and that is gradually taking a toll on his mental health.
“Folarin who was allegedly involved and arraigned for being involved in the gruesome murder of late Eleweomo who was until his death the leader of the now proscribed National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), opened his mouth to threaten a sitting governor, Seyi Makinde, during the preparation for local government election saying that he had set three traps that Makinde could not escape from.
“If Folarin and his likes deliberately decide to feign forgetfulness, the people of Oyo state do not, It is on record how members of the APC in the state with the full backing of Folarin and his cohorts attempted to forcefully occupy local government secretariats across the state in a bid to provoke a reaction from the PDP members but failed because sheep’s can not go into the swamp because of an aggression from a swine of pigs.
“It is also on record how Folarin’s thugs; Hamidu Were, Afeez Ejeoto, Tiri Olowoposi and others laid ambush for Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi sometime not too long ago in Ibadan with the sole motive to assassinate the PMS boss like he allegedly did to Eleweomo but failed.
“We have on good authority how Folarin and his cohorts are recruiting and raring political thugs and hoodlums especially in Ibadan, the state capital all in his desperation to become governor and we’re not oblivious of the fact that he may start springing up surprises in form of attacks on popular individuals not on the same political page with him just as he is notable for and then raise false alarm as a diversionary measure to sway suspicion against him.
“We want to use this medium to call on the Oyo state Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Williams, and the IGP, Alhaji Alkali Baba Usman to immediately bim security searchlights on Folarin in order to prevent his desperation from raring its ugly head as it allegedly did with the late Eleweomo.
“It is on record that Honourable Shina Pella, a member of the House of Representatives who has since parted ways with Folarin and his faction of APC recently raised an alarm over a failed assassination attempt on his life by Folarin’s political thugs but for prompt and swift response of the police the case would have been a sad one by now.
“For the sake of emphasis, we want to state unequivocally clear that absolutely nothing untowards must happen to the PDP Governorship candidate, Governor Seyi Makinde, or any of the state government officials under this present government including Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi as our party will not hesitate to deploy every means within the confines of the law to fight Folarin and his APC.
“It is even more worrisome that Folarin’s desperation has blindfolded him so much that he is yet to mention to the good people of Oyo state what he and his party have to offer the state after leaving the people with sheer terror, unpaid salaries, pension and gratuities for many months leading to untimely deaths and paralysis of many, humongous debt burden, and other unforgettable atrocities under APC between 2011 and 2019.
“Folarin is not the only individual to contest the next Governorship election but his unrrstrained desperation has made him a serious element of security threat to not just the good people of Oyo state but other participating contestants at the coming election therefore, the Oyo Commissioner of Police and IGP are enjoined to give this call all the needed attention it deserves before the Senator return us to the Eleweomo era.
“The Oyo state PDP has continued to tolerate the excesses, rascality, and recklessness and political brigandage of Folarin and his faction of Oyo APC because we believe two wrongs can not make make a right but this level of civil disposition to politics should not be mistaken for weakness.
“We understand that Folarin’s poor public image has compelled him and his APC to resort to smear campaign and all forms of vituperations against Makinde and PDP even at the slightest bite from a mosquito but we urge them to be decorous and not throw caution into the wind in trying to seek for public attention using Makinde’s soaring public image as their ladder to climb to the top because the people of Oyo state are now wiser and now know better between false propaganda and a genuine leader.” The party stated.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has released the May/ June 2022 WASSCE results.
76.36% of the candidates obtained Credits and above in English Language and Mathematics while 88.04% made Credits and above in a minimum of five subjects with or without English Language and Mathematics.
True to the resolve of the regional examination body to release results of the examination, now reversed to its traditional May/June schedule, the result is coming barely 45 days after the completion of the last subject.
The examination was held in The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
A total of 1,607,985 candidates from 20,221 schools registered for the 2022 examination and about 30,000 teachers participated in the examination as supervisors.
A Nigerian HND graduate has risen beyond several obstacles to win fully-funded Ph.D. scholarships to 7 top US universities.
The young lady, Islamiyat Ojelade, was the 2017/18 overall best graduating student at the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun state, Nigeria.
Her recent feat has attested to the fact that admission seekers can also break the huddle and get foreign University scholarships without the Bachelor Degree certificate requirement.
Islamiyat, who studied Science Laboratory Technology (Chemistry Major) for her HND, shared the good news via a LinkedIn post.
The residents of Ariyibi/Ajibode axis have lamented poor state of the road linking the area to Ajibode/UI axis, Ibadan.
Waterfield Luxury Hotel Akobo, Ibadan
Recall, ODUDUWA NEWS had reported how many community roads in Oyo State have been in the dilapidated state calling the attention of the State government for rehabilitation.
A tricycle rider who spoke today with ODUDUWA NEWS correspondent under the condition of annonymity, decried the poor condition of the road. He claimed that motorists find it difficult to ply the road as most of their cars and motorcycles get damaged and often taken to the mechanic workshops everytime.
A motorist, Abdulateef Olamide in his words, said, “we are begging Gov Makinde to come to our aide because the road is no longer motorable”.
He lamented poor state of the road especially at the time people have taken the route as alternate access to their various destinations due to the ongoing repair of Apete Bridge.
The residents of the area who spoke with ODUDUWA NEWS all lamented the effect of the bad road on their economic activities.
“We are appealing to State Govt to come to our aide as the road has been badly damaged, many people find it difficult to get to their shops on time and when they close they get home late hours especially when it rains”, concluded Mr. Olapade.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has assured residents of his government’s resolve to finish the Red Rail Line project.
He gave the assurance on Sunday during an extensive inspection of construction activities around the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project.
“The Red Line is a project conceived and started by our Government, which will be delivered in the lifetime of this administration,” the governor, accompanied by his deputy Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and members of the cabinet, said.
“We have given our commitment to ensure the project is completed by the end of this year as promised. This is our fourth inspection trip on this project within the year alone and each time we come, there is significant progress that the contractor achieves along the rail corridor.”
A statement from Governor Sanwo-Olu’s Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, quoted the Lagos leader as saying that the project is nearing its completion stage.
“Along the rail corridor, there is massive regeneration that is taking place and we have paid extensive amount in terms of compensation, far more than anyone else, for those affected by the construction activities,” he added.
“That is why we don’t have problems with members of the communities on this corridor. After inspecting the Agege station, we went on to check the Ikeja terminal, which happens to be the iconic station of the Red Line. Its size is almost about the size of three football fields together.
“As we have seen, all the stations inspected are at the roof level, moving into the completion stage. The civil work has been completed, it’s just the finishing job we are doing at the moment. All the activities are on schedule and we are hoping the best entire project will be completed by the end of the year.”
The 11 stations Mass Transit project is being constructed as part of the state’s intermodal transportation arrangement, expected to move more than seven hundred thousand passengers daily.
In April, the Governor, during the inspection of the blue line project, reassured Lagos residents that the state government is on track with its efforts to complete works on both the Blue and Red lines rail projects.
Soldiers attached to the Joint Security Task Force in Oyo State codenamed Operation Burst and personnel of the Amotekun Corps have started combing forests in the Surulere Local Government Area of Oyo State for criminals.
The security agents were deployed following the abduction and killing of a final year student of LAUTECH, Rachael Opadele; a United States-based hotelier, Mr Olugbenga Owolabi; and a motorcyclist, Mr Idowu Ajagbe, who conveyed the person bearing ransom to the kidnappers.
The three persons were killed after the hoodlums had collected a ransom of N5million and the bearer of the ransom luckily escaped with injuries.
Residents of Gambari community told our correspondent on Sunday that some suspected criminals were killed during the operations while some guns were recovered from where they were hidden by the criminals.
It was gathered that the security agents demolished the fence of a hotel and broke its window panes and doors. The hotel was said to be used as a rendezvous by criminals after their operations.
A resident, who did not want his name in print as a result of fear for his safety, said, “I went out to the farm where I was working around 6.30am and they stopped me and asked where I was going. I told them I was going to the farm. They searched my motorcycle and when they did not find anything on me, they asked me to go.
“But we started hearing gunshots far from our place since around 1am. The soldiers made some discoveries at around Sabo – Igbon.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Adewale Osifeso, could not be reached on the telephone to comment on the operation.
However, the Oyo State Amotekun Commandant of Amotekun in Oyo State, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (retd.), confirmed the development, saying security agents were on clearance operation in the area.
“We are on clearance operation there. That is what I know for now,” he said.
The Director General of Operation Burst, Col. Oladipo Ajibola ( retd.), also confirmed the operation in the area.
“The operation started few days ago and it extended to Gambari but I won’t say more than that,” Ajibola also said.
There are reports that a relative of the slain hotelier has been arrested by the police and that he blamed the killing on the devil.
But the Police Public Relations Officer for Oyo State Police Command, Adewale Osifeso, when contacted told our correspondent that “the command will update you soon.”
Meanwhile, a former Military Governor of Oyo State, Major General Oladayo Popoola; Justice Afolabi Adeniran and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Saka Balogun, will lead other prominent indigenes of Ogbomoso as well as the youth of the town in a protest on insecurity in the town on Monday (today).
The President of Ogbomoso Community Youth Forum, Rev. Kayode Olaleye, said this in a statement made available to our correspondent that the rally was to sensitise the people on security situation and to be vigilant.
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”.
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.
