Metro

Court Sentences Ogun Couple, Son’s Killers To Death By Hanging

Published

5 months ago

February 3, 2025

An Ogun State High Court sitting in Kobape, Abeokuta, the state capital, on Monday sentenced Lekan Adekanbi, Ahmed Odetola, and Waheed Adeniyi to death by hanging for the murder of Kehinde Fatinoye, his wife, Bukola Fatinoye, and their son, Oreoluwa, on January 1, 2023.

The couple was attacked at their Ibara GRA residence shortly after returning from a crossover service.

Led by their driver, Adekanbi, the assailants invaded their home at about 2am, killing them before setting the house and their bodies on fire.

They also tied up their son, Oreoluwa, and an adopted son before throwing them into the Ogun River.

Oreoluwa did not survive, but the adopted son miraculously escaped.

During an interview with journalists in February 2023, Adekanbi confessed that he orchestrated the attack because the Fatinoyes refused to increase his salary or grant him a loan.

“I took the step because the couple refused to increase my salary, and when I approached them for a loan to buy a motorcycle, they didn’t oblige,” he admitted.

He revealed that he invited two accomplices, Odetola and Adeniyi, to help him rob the couple.

“The three of us waited for the couple until they came back from the crossover service. We pounced on them immediately after they entered the house,” he said.

According to him, they forced Kehinde Fatinoye to transfer N1,102,000 to his Access Bank account at gunpoint after a previous transfer attempt to Odetola’s Kuda Bank account failed.

“When I realised that my identity had been exposed through my bank account, I decided with others to terminate the lives of the couple,” he confessed.

Adeniyi then used a knife to slaughter Kehinde Fatinoye, while Adekanbi struck Bukola Fatinoye on the head with a sledgehammer, killing her instantly.

When the couple’s son, Oreoluwa, and their adopted son, Felix Olorunyomi, walked in, the criminals tied them up and threw them into the Ogun River, Felix managed to escape.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, recounted how Adekanbi initially escaped from custody after faking an illness.

“The suspect, Lekan Adekanbi, suddenly collapsed in the cell on January 2, 2023, and was rushed to the hospital for medical care. But while receiving treatment, he suddenly jumped from the bed and escaped through the hospital fence,” Oyeyemi said.

Following a technical and intelligence-driven investigation, police tracked him to his brother’s house in Iseyin, Oyo State.

Although he had fled before officers arrived, he was later arrested in Abeokuta on January 21, 2023.

His accomplices, Odetola and Adeniyi, were arrested in Ogere on February 9, 2023.

“The three suspects, who are members of the Aiye confraternity, have all confessed to their roles in the gruesome and callous murder of the family,” Oyeyemi stated.

Adekanbi, Odetola, and Adeniyi, along with six others, were charged with 24 counts, including conspiracy to commit armed robbery, murder, arson, and perverting the course of justice. They pleaded not guilty.

Delivering her judgment, Justice Basirat Adebowale ruled, “The trio of Adekanbi, Odetola, and Adeniyi are guilty of nine counts because the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.”

Adebowale sentenced them to death by hanging.

“You, Adekanbi, Odetola, and Adeniyi, for killing a father, mother, and son, do not deserve mercy. You are hereby sentenced to be hanged by the neck until you are dead or by lethal injection. May God have mercy on your souls,” she declared.

Other sentences included: Temitope Fadairo (Adekanbi’s wife) to two years imprisonment for hiding her husband, Adenike Adekanbi (Adekanbi’s mother) to one-year imprisonment for providing false statements to the police, Azeez Usman (the welder who dismantled the stolen vehicle) to 14 years imprisonment for receiving stolen property, plus additional sentences to run concurrently, Anuoluwapo Owolaja to two years imprisonment, Abass Odetola and Lukmon Adewusi were discharged of all charges.

During the trial, Chief State Counsel, Adefisoye Temilola, told the court that the trio committed the crime at Karounwi Street, Ibara Housing Estate, Abeokuta.

“The defendants, while armed with a gun, hammer, and cutlass, robbed Mr. Fatinoye of N1.102 million and a Hyundai vehicle worth N12 million. They also robbed Mrs. Bukola Fatinoye of her phones valued at N1 million.

“After robbing the couple, Adeniyi used a knife to slaughter Kehinde Fatinoye, while Adekanbi struck Bukola on the head with a sledgehammer.

“They set the house ablaze and killed their only son, Oreoluwa, by tying his hands and legs and throwing him into the Ogun River, leading to his death.” Temilola said.

Metro

Abducted Benue Travellers Released After One Week In Captivity

Published

14 hours ago

June 29, 2025

Editor

The remaining 10 passengers of the State Government owned Benue Links Transport Company, who were a week ago abducted by armed men along the Eke-Elengbecho axis of Okpokwu Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State, Sunday afternoon regained their freedom.

The victims who ran into an ambush and were taken away by the armed men on Sunday, June 22, were travelling from Abeokuta en route to Makurdi at the time of the incident.

Confirming the release of the passengers in a statement, Johnson Daniel, the Information Officer of the company, said it was a relief for Benue Links to confirm the safe release of the passengers.

He pointed out that “the passengers, who were initially 12 at the point of abduction, with two earlier rescued, had been held against their will by unidentified individuals but have now regained their freedom.

“We are deeply grateful that they have returned safely and are in stable condition. Appropriate medical evaluations and counselling are currently ongoing to support their well-being after this distressing ordeal.

“We extend our sincere appreciation to the relevant security agencies, community leaders, and all those who played a critical role in facilitating the release of the passengers. Their coordinated efforts and dedicated commitment to the safety of citizens have been invaluable during this challenging time.

“Benue Links Nigeria Limited remains steadfast in our commitment to the safety and security of all our passengers and staff.

“We will continue to collaborate closely with law enforcement authorities to ensure that justice is served and to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. Enhanced security measures are also being implemented across all our routes to further safeguard our operations.”

Contacted, the Benue State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent Udeme Edet, said she had yet to receive details of the development.

Metro

Again, Armed Herders Invade Benue Community, Kill 4 Police Officers

Published

14 hours ago

June 29, 2025

Editor

At least four Mobile Policemen were feared dead in a fresh Sunday afternoon armed herders attack on Udei community in Guma Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State.

Udei community is less than 15 15-minute drive from the Yelewata community that was equally invaded over two weeks ago by armed bandits.

It was gathered that the marauders who launched the attacks at about 11 am also attempted to storm neighbouring Daudu but were repelled by a combined team of security agencies and the youths of the area.

They were said to have invaded the Asha community, where they shot sporadically, chasing people away from their farms, and it eventually escalated to Ortese, which is home to thousands of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs.

The source disclosed that the quick intervention of the military personnel stationed in the area who engaged the marauders in the bush halted their move into Ortese, and no resident was killed in the renewed attack.

Contacted a community leader in the area and former acting Chairman of Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr Matthew Mnyan, who confirmed the development, disclosed that “the attack started at about 11 am at Asha, which is very close to Ortese. They began pursuing people from their farms, and it escalated to Ortese.

“It got to the point that the soldiers there moved in with their armoured truck, and when it became intense, they moved in another armoured truck, and they engaged them for up to one hour in the bush.

“And before you knew it, they started moving and shooting at Dudu, which is before Daudu.

“When I got the information, I immediately called the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, who took his men there to repel them.

“In what looked like a coordinated attack, they also attacked Udei at about 2 pm, and four Mobile Policemen were killed in the shootout.

“I was told that they are still around even now. They have reappeared at Ortese this evening. As we speak, people are in fear.

“When I called the Area Commander he said he has mobilised to Udei and I learnt they went in their numbers but it is getting dark and people are entertaining fear. Even the IDPs in Ortese are all in fear and calling that they need more security.”

This latest wave of attacks came about 16 days after a similar attack on the neighbouring Yelewata community claimed over 200 lives, with many hospitalised and many others displaced.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent, DSP, Udeme Edet were unsuccessful. She did not pick up her calls and also did not reply to her text messages.

Metro

Armed Bandits Attack Mopol Camp, Cart Away Rifles In Kebbi

Published

2 days ago

June 28, 2025

Editor

Kebbi State Government has confirmed that a group of armed bandits attacked a Mobile Police post in Makuku, located in the Zuru Local Government Area, and made away with an undisclosed number of rifles.

The Director of Security at the Cabinet Office, Abdulrahman Zagga, disclosed this to journalists in Bagudo Local Government Area on Saturday.

According to Zagga, the mobile police post, which was manned by visiting officers, came under heavy attack from a large group of bandits numbering in the hundreds. Despite engaging the attackers in a fierce gun battle, the officers were ultimately overpowered.

“The bandits burnt a Toyota Hilux patrol vehicle belonging to the unit and escaped with an undisclosed number of rifles,” he stated.

Zagga clarified that it was not a police station that was attacked, as some reports claimed, but a temporary mobile police post. He added that the mobile police officers were forced to withdraw due to the overwhelming number of assailants.

He further revealed that upon learning of the attack, the state government requested air support from the Nigerian Air Force, which helped force the bandits to retreat.

“No casualties were recorded during the incident,” Zagga said. “Most of the bandits infiltrated from neighbouring Zamfara and Niger States.”

He explained that Makuku village shares a border with Niger State, making it vulnerable to such attacks.

Zagga also emphasised that, unlike some neighbouring states, Kebbi State has no peace agreements with any bandit groups or their leaders.

He pointed out that informants remain a major obstacle in the fight against banditry and noted that attacks tend to intensify during the rainy season due to extortion tactics used against farming communities.

“Once they demand money from a community and it is paid, the bandits may temporarily leave that community alone. But once the money runs out, they move on to another community to extort. That’s why many communities remain in constant fear,” he added.

However, Kebbi State Command Police image maker, CSP, Nafiu Abubakar, could not be reached for comment as of the time of filing this report.