Operatives of the Ogun state Police command have arrested four farmers for allegedly killing and dismembering the body of a herder, Umaru Aliyu, at Ijagunre village in Imeko-Afon local government area of the state.
A statement by SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, the spokesperson of the command, says the suspects identified as Akinyele Adebayo, Gbalo Idosu, Abiala Segun and Kareem Fagbemi Lana, were arrested following a report lodged by one Umaru Jakake.
Jakeke, who stated that while he and his brother Umaru Aliyu were grazing their cattle at Ijagunre village, they were accosted by one Ojugbele who warned them not to take their cattle near his farm.
He stated further that upon the warning, they took their cattle to the other side of the bush for grazing. But the said Ojugbele later called two men who started chasing them about in the bush. The complainant further stated that he managed to escape, but the whereabout of his brother Umaru Aliyu is yet to be known since then.
Oyeyemi added that the case was reported at Imeko divisional headquarters, but was transferred to State Criminal Investigation Departments Eleweran for discreet investigation on the order of the Commissioner of Police.
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The case was assigned to SP Kehinde Beyioku led Homicide section who there and then embarked on a technical and intelligence-based investigation to unravel the whereabouts of the missing herdsman.
‘’There investigation led to the arrest of Kareem Fagbemi Lana, who confessed to the police that it was one Ojugbele who called him from his own farm to inform him of the presence of herdsmen in their farm vicinity, and that he should come and join him to chase them away.
He confessed further that he also called Abiala Segun, who came with his dane gun and the three of them started chasing the herdsmen. While chasing them, Kareem Fagbemi Lana collected the dane gun and shot one of the herdsmen Umaru Aliyu to death.
After killing him, they invited Akinyele Adebayo whose farm is nearby and informed him of the incident. It was Akinyele Adebayo who helped them to dismember the body after telling them that he needs the head of the deceased for certain ritual and they all agreed with him to take it.
They then took the remaining parts of the body to Tamake town and buried it in front of Gbalo Idosu house.The confession of Kareem Fagbemi Lana led to the arrest of three others while Ojugbele is still on the run. The deceased’s head and other body parts have been recovered by the policemen.” Oyeyemi said.
The police spokesperson added that the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olanrewaju Oladimeji, who commended the Homicide team for the painstaking investigation, has ordered a massive manhunt for the fleeing member of the gang to be brought to book.
He stated that the CP has also ordered that the arrested suspects be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.
