Police detectives in Ondo state, have arrested a 34-year-old man, Monday Chukwu, for allegedly stabbing his friend, Kefa Ofando, to death over N2,000 debt in Odigbo council area of the state.
Parading the suspect alongside 10 other suspected criminals, the state police commissioner, Abayomi Oladipo, said in Akure, the state capital, that the suspect killed the deceased on September 20, this year during an argument over N2000.
Oladipo, said the crimes committed by 11 of the suspects paraded, include killings, robbery, arson and removing of the vehicle brain boxes and other parts from their victim’s vehicle.
According to him ” on the 20th of September, 2024, operatives of the Ondo State Police Command attached to the Odigbo Divisional Police Headquarters, acting on a complaint, swiftly responded and arrested one Monday Chukwu, a 34-year-old resident of Akintola village in the Odigbo area of the state.
“The suspect allegedly stabbed one Kefa Ofando, aged 30, to death.
“Discrete investigation revealed that the deceased had borrowed the suspect the sum of two thousand Naira, which, when demanded a few days later, led to an argument during which the suspect stabbed the victim with scissors on his neck.
“Upon arrival at the scene, crime scene experts recovered a pair of scissors, while a medical practitioner confirmed Kefa Ofando dead.
” Investigation is ongoing, and the suspect will soon be charged to court upon conclusion.
“However, this underscores the importance of staying away from violent individuals and the need to act with restraint, especially when angry or under pressure.
Oladipo said that another 16-year-old, Precious Kolawole, a suspected killer of the population Ondo state caterer and the CEO of ‘Bola Country Kitchen’ Mrs Adeniyi Iyabode, has been arrested.
Precious, was one of the domestic staff of the popular caterer, who murdered her, days after she celebrated her birthday.
The suspect and two others, including Emmanuel Philip, already in the police net, withdrew the sum of thirty thousand Naira from the deceased account via her ATM card, which they stole after killing her.
Police commissioner said that Precious is a secondary school student, who fled the community, after committing the dastardly act.
Oladipo added that one of the suspected killers, Philip Emmanuel, aged 17 years, ” in a voluntary statement expressed their individual degrees of involvement in the dastardly act.
“The first suspect, Precious Kolawole, claimed to have heard Mrs Adeniyi talking about receiving a substantial amount of money through her bank account and, on the heels of this, recruited Philip Emmanuel, the second suspect, to jointly murder the victim gruesomely.
“Clinical investigation revealed knife wounds inflicted by Philip Emmanuel and machete cuts by Precious Kolawole, resulting in the death of the victim.
” It was also gathered that the victim successfully withdrew the sum of thirty thousand Naira from her account via her ATM card.
“While the suspect is still in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation, it is pertinent to reiterate that safety measures like observing restraint in monetary discussions around domestic staff, concealing one’s ATM PIN, and installing CCTV surveillance cameras are necessary to optimize personal safety and security.
The police commissioner, also said that one Renan Niju of Lapepe, Bolorunduro, has been arrested for suspected arson.
Oladipo said that the burning of the property, a school, according to the complaint, had been traced to a Chieftaincy dispute in the community.
He said that the suspect arsonist was arrested a few days later when he revisited the complainant’s property at midnight.
According to the police boss, ” ran out of luck, as local vigilantes, working in concert with the police for intelligence gathering in the area, apprehended him before he could carry out his dastardly acts.
The following were recovered from the suspect upon his arrest: a lighter, a liquid substance suspected to be premium motor spirit (fuel), weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, a Nigerian flag, and a handcuff key.
The suspect will be charged in court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
While the sole motive of this criminal action is yet to be unravelled, the existence of such criminal-minded elements in society calls for a higher level of vigilance and security consciousness.
Members of the public are urged to take extra measures to ensure that their personal properties are not left unattended and unpoliced.
