A student of a private health technology institution in Ogun State, Adebayo Adeyemi, had a girlfriend, Mercy, also a colleague, in the same school in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State. But the girl’s name did not work for her recently when Adeyemi decided to deal with her for seizing his phone over an alleged relationship with another girl.
Mercilessly, Adeyemi put an abrupt end to Mercy’s life by allegedly slaughtering her with a knife, though he claimed he hit her on the head with a big stick inside the bush he took her to.
He was accompanied by his colleague and friend, Michael Huessinon, and Mercy’s friend (name withheld) who initially thought Adeyemi was taking his lover to a police station, as he said, and decided to be with her.
Mercy’s friend got her own portion of the punishment as she was allegedly raped by Michael and threatened with death if she dared to tell anyone about her friend’s murder and the sexual abuse she went through.
The two suspects were arrested by detectives in Ogun State Police Command for conspiracy to commit murder and rape. Confirming the story, the police image-maker in Ogun, SP Omolola Odutola, said the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, directed the transfer of the case to Homicide Section at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, for further investigation.
Dateline was January 16. Nigerian Tribune learnt that Adeyemi went to the residence of his girlfriend whom he accused of taking his phone. The phone issue, according to police sources, began in September 2023 when Mercy took Adeyemi’s phone and kept it after discovering that he was cheating on her. When she refused to return the phone, Adeyemi left for Lagos State to do the practical of his course.
On his return to Ijebu Ode in January, he went to Mercy’s hostel to ask why she took his phone. It was gathered that he met Michael there and told him about what he intended to do. Michael reportedly suggested taking Mercy to ‘Island,’ a code said to be understood by cultists.
It was further gathered that they saw a driver that Michael was familiar with as he was moving out. They stopped him and asked him to pick them, as Adeyemi claimed he was taking Mercy to a police station for the matter to be settled.
When they got to a spot along the way by a bush, Adeyemi, Michael, Mercy and her friend got down. Adeyemi reportedly took Mercy to a field in the bush where he reportedly queried her concerning his phone. He was said to have eventually slaughtered her there, with Michael pinning her down.
The source told the Nigerian Tribune that when they came out of the bush, Mercy’s friend saw Adeyemi with a bloody knife. He also had blood stains on his clothes. She asked of Mercy, her friend. This made Adeyemi tell his friend, Michael, that they should kill her also to cover up their deeds.
However, Michael advised Adeyemi not to do so, with the belief that the young lady would not spill the beans. In fear, she followed Michael until they got to their hostel. Michael was said to have further instilled fear in her by telling her to give him whatever he asked if she didn’t want to be killed.
Terrified, the lady asked him what he wanted, and he demanded N200,000. With wide eyes, the lady told him that she didn’t have such money, and Michael then demanded s*x.
He was also said to have brought out a padlock which he presented as a charm and asked the lady to swear by it that she would not tell anyone of what happened between them or else she would face the consequence. After having his way with her, the lady went to the police to report what was done to her and her friend.
In an interview with Adeyemi, he said that he didn’t know the spirit that came over him to commit such an act. He claimed that it was fueled by the anger he felt when he was hit by the deceased as he was trying to cuddle her on the neck.
His narration went thus: “I’m from Atiba, Oyo State, but based in Ijebu Ode. I’m 30 years old. I’m a student of Dental Therapy Department of a College of Health Technology, Ijebu Ode.
“Last year, my girlfriend, Mercy, a fellow student, took my phone on September 2, 2023, and didn’t return it. When I saw her one-on-one, I asked her to give me my phone, but she refused to do so. I went for practical in Lagos State on September 4, and on my return this year, I went to her again but she was just dodging me until I asked people to help get in touch with her.
“I went to where she was residing and asked her again to give me my phone. She didn’t respond. I told a man living in the same house with her that I would take her to a police station where she would give me the phone. She agreed with me on that.
“I asked the man, who was attending the same church with my friend, Michael, to give me his car key for me to drive to the station but he said he would not give me the key but would drive us there. I knew him through that friend who is also a student in my school.
“On our way, I decided not to go to the police station and asked him to drop us by a bush. It was that my friend whom I had initially told of taking my ex-girlfriend to police station who said I should take her to the bush and torture her into submission.
“We were six in the car, including me, Mercy, Mercy’s friend, Michael, the driver and one other student who was going to school. The driver dropped us by a bush side and left with the student. On getting into the bush, I asked Mercy to sit on the ground. Michael and her friend were with us.
“I started questioning Mercy on what I did to her that warranted her taking my phone. At last, she told me that I offended her by cheating on her and ditching her for another girl, which made her seize my phone. I asked for the phone and she said that she had given it to someone, promising to buy me another one.
“After that, I held her on the neck and started cuddling her and told her that what she just told me was what I had been waiting to hear from her. I was telling her that she f****d up and other things. That was how she picked something from the ground and hit me on the head with it.
“I became so mad at her that I didn’t know when I was possessed by a spirit. I hit her head with a big stick and she fell and died. She told me she was 20 years old when we were dating.”
When asked whether he was into drugs, Adeyemi denied using drugs, saying that he only used to take alcohol poured on herbs for medicinal purposes. He also said that he had never joined a cult.
The second suspect, Michael, also spoke thus: “I am an Egun from Benin Republic but my parents relocated to Ipokia in Ogun State. I will be 29 in February. I’m also a student in the same school with Adeyemi.
“In the morning of the fateful day, Adeyemi came to Mercy’s compound to ask about his phone. I was there with the driver. Later, he said he wanted to take Mercy to the police station but I didn’t want to go there with him because I didn’t want any trouble. So, I asked him to go somewhere within the community to ask her questions.
“He asked for my friend’s car key but that one refused to give him, offering to take him to the police station. On the way, Adeyemi asked him to stop by the bush side and I came down with him, Mercy and her friend, while the driver left with the student in the car. Adeyemi and Mercy entered the bush and I stayed by the side with her friend.
“Later, I saw Adeyemi come out with a wound on his head. I asked him what happened and he replied that Mercy injured him and he also hit her. I asked about her and he said that she was inside the bush, in the throes of death.
“Mercy’s friend and I immediately moved away from the spot and headed home, leaving the body in the bush. I was frightened by Adeyemi’s looks. We got to the compound where Mercy and the driver lived and stood there. The friend was scared and said that she would go to my room to rest.
“When we got to my place, I told her that I wanted to sleep with her, but she refused. She pleaded with me, saying that she would give me money if that was what I wanted. She promised to transfer the money immediately. I demanded for N200,000 and she said she didn’t have such money. That was when I slept with her. When I was done, I brought out a dish with black soap in it and warned her not to tell anyone about what happened between us, or else the consequences would be dire.
“Later, Mercy’s friend went to a brother with whom I was attending the same church and reported what happened. That was how the police were informed and Adeyemi was apprehended while he was with his current girlfriend. Adeyemi just told me that he wanted to torture Mercy. He didn’t tell me he would kill her. I didn’t know what took over me that made me rape Mercy’s friend.”
