The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a landlord and two other suspects over the abduction and murder of two students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Abah John Friday, 25, and Okah Andrel Eloho, 19.
Addressing journalists in Akure, the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Lawal, revealed that one of the arrested suspects, Oladele Femi, was the landlord of the male victim, and confessed to orchestrating the crime.
According to the police, the victims were abducted on June 20.
Okah’s lifeless body was discovered three weeks later at a border area between Ondo and Ekiti States.
Her friend, Friday, is also believed to have been killed, and his body allegedly dumped in a river by an accomplice still at large.
The CP said Friday’s bank account was accessed during captivity, with N800,000 withdrawn, adding that the female victim was raped before both were executed.
Their deaths were allegedly ordered after Okah recognised and unmasked one of the abductors.
Lawal said the command had received a petition on June 24 from the law firm G.O. Omoedu & Co., acting for Emmanuel Peter of Shagari Village, Akure, who reported the disappearance of his younger brother and his friend.
“Detectives from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit swung into action immediately. Forensic tracking led the investigators to Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos, where an iPhone 14 Pro Max belonging to one of the victims was recovered from Abdul Mohammed Mubarak, 38. Mubarak confessed to buying the phone from one Ojo Michael, who was later arrested in Aramoko-Ekiti,” Lawal stated.
He explained that the victims’ Lexus RX 350 vehicle was also recovered.
During interrogation, Ojo Michael confessed to being part of the robbery, kidnapping and murder, implicating the landlord, Femi, and another accomplice identified as Kola, who is still on the run.
Michael further admitted to raping Okah before they were both killed and disposed of.
The female victim’s body was recovered from a bush near Ode-Ekiti and taken to the General Hospital Mortuary for autopsy.
“Investigations revealed that the operation was planned by Femi who hired Michael and Kola to carry it out. Michael said the victims were killed after the female student recognised him and threatened to expose the group,” Lawal added.
Femi was later arrested and confessed to masterminding the entire crime and helping to conceal the killings.
Police said efforts are ongoing to locate the body of Abah John Friday and arrest the remaining suspect.
The commissioner described the case as a tragic reminder of how far greed and betrayal can lead, stressing that the victims, who were young and full of promise, were cut down in cold blood.
He assured that the police would leave no stone unturned until justice is served and all those responsible are held accountable.
