THE five suspected killers of a 20-year-old artisan identified simply as Shina at Cele-Nica along the Badagry Expressway in Lagos, have stated that they knew nothing about the murder of the deceased.
The suspects: Christiana Akpan (31), a sex worker, Oluwasina Aregbo (34), a disc jockey (DJ), Tureeb Ganiyu (22), Kelly Onochie (23), and Bamidele Ajibade (41); who police alleged were arrested at the scene of the crime, rather gave different conflicting accounts of how they were arrested.
How it happened: It was gathered that the unfortunate incident took place on November 26, 2015, at about 8pm, at Cele Nica Bus stop along Badagry Expressway, after thugs armed with cutlasses, axes, guns and other dangerous weapons, invaded the place and attacked the victim.
Sex worker speaks: Akpan narrated her own side of the story: ‘’I am from Akwa Ibom State. I am a prostitute at Bright International Hotel located at Cele Nica Bus stop along Badagry Expressway. I don’t known anything about the man that was killed. I was with my colleagues at the hotel when I was arrested.
Aiding the neighbourhood
On that day, people were saying that somebody had been killed around the bus stop. I was at our hotel when I heard the story. I was about to put on my slippers when the person who alerted me asked what I was waiting for, and if I did not hear that policemen were raiding the neighbourhood because someone had been killed.
I have been doing this job for about two years. The person that introduced me to the job is not here any more. I got into it because I am an orphan and I have three children who I have to cater for. My children live with my elder sister in Akwa Ibom State. That’s is all I know about the case.”
DJ narrates story: Narrating his own story, the second suspect, Aregbo, the disc jockey said: ‘’I am from Ilaje area of Ondo State. I work at Bright International Hotel as a DJ. Usually, I play for them on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. I was employed last year November by the director of the hotel.
On the day I was arrested, I heard that someone had been killed in the neighbourhood. Christiana, one of the prostitutes at the hotel, called me that I should not come around the premises, that there was a problem. That was why I didn’t come that very day.
Later the following day, Friday, she called me to say that she had heard some gunshots close to the hotel and that it was like someone had been killed. She also told me that everyone had run out of the hotel because of the incident.
Then I asked her where she was, and she said she was at the bus stop. I then asked her to look for somewhere safe at the bus stop to wait for me.
“When I met her, we both went to a hotel in Okokomaiko where we lodged for the night. I could not take her home because I am married with two kids. The day after, Saturday, we both went to see the director of Bright International Hotel. I was still at the hotel when police officers from Iyana-Sashi arrived and said they wanted me at the station. When I got to the station, I was arrested and detained. I explained to them that I didn’t know anything about the victim’s death.
“I don’t know the victim”
In his defence, Ganiyu said: “I wanted to go to Abuja with a friend to repair a vehicle because I am a mechanic. So, I was supposed to travel around 6am. Unfortunately, I woke up after 8am and by the time I got to my friend’s house, they said he had already travelled. I didn’t have any money to go back home. I then went to the bus stop and pleaded with one of the NURTW members to give me N100 to enable me return to Badagry. I didn’t know him before but he assured me that he would talk to a driver or conductor to help me get to Badagry.
We were still at the bus stop when I was arrested alongside the man I had asked for help. It was when I got to the station that I realised that someone had been killed. I have never seen the deceased. I don’t even know whether he is fair or dark.”
“I am a driver, dancer and member of NURTW”
The fourth suspect, Onochie, also had a different story to tell: “ I am a driver, a dancer and a member of NURTW. I have been living at Pako-Ketu for more than 13 years. I am married with two children. I started working at the new Pako/Ketu Bus stop where I collect toll from commercial motorcyclists as well as motorists. I started working with them when driving and dancing did not favour me.
I stopped driving because I don’t have licence. I had the old driver’s licence which I misplaced, so I had to stop driving because of police frequent harassments on the road. I was arrested in the morning at about 9am. The deceased was a street boy. I know his mother and sisters. We both went to Ajangbandi High School. I don’t know much about him because he did not participate in any of the community activities.
Community activities
I cater for my family from the toll I collect and make delivery of N2,000 daily to the youth chairman of the community.”
“My hands are clean”
The last suspect, Ajibade, who claimed to be an electrical engineer said: “They arrested me as a murder suspect. I don’t know anything about the murder of Shina. I was arrested in my house at Ajibade Close. After I was arrested, people from the community came and the Police said I had been transferred.
Later, the Police said they were still investigating and that after investigations, if they found me clean, I would be released. I have known Shina for about 20 years, when he was still a little boy. Then, I used to help my mother who owns a grinding machine, to grind pepper. That’s all I know about the case.”
The suspects: Christiana Akpan (31), a sex worker, Oluwasina Aregbo (34), a disc jockey (DJ), Tureeb Ganiyu (22), Kelly Onochie (23), and Bamidele Ajibade (41); who police alleged were arrested at the scene of the crime, rather gave different conflicting accounts of how they were arrested.
How it happened: It was gathered that the unfortunate incident took place on November 26, 2015, at about 8pm, at Cele Nica Bus stop along Badagry Expressway, after thugs armed with cutlasses, axes, guns and other dangerous weapons, invaded the place and attacked the victim.
Sex worker speaks: Akpan narrated her own side of the story: ‘’I am from Akwa Ibom State. I am a prostitute at Bright International Hotel located at Cele Nica Bus stop along Badagry Expressway. I don’t known anything about the man that was killed. I was with my colleagues at the hotel when I was arrested.
Aiding the neighbourhood
On that day, people were saying that somebody had been killed around the bus stop. I was at our hotel when I heard the story. I was about to put on my slippers when the person who alerted me asked what I was waiting for, and if I did not hear that policemen were raiding the neighbourhood because someone had been killed.
I have been doing this job for about two years. The person that introduced me to the job is not here any more. I got into it because I am an orphan and I have three children who I have to cater for. My children live with my elder sister in Akwa Ibom State. That’s is all I know about the case.”
DJ narrates story: Narrating his own story, the second suspect, Aregbo, the disc jockey said: ‘’I am from Ilaje area of Ondo State. I work at Bright International Hotel as a DJ. Usually, I play for them on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. I was employed last year November by the director of the hotel.
On the day I was arrested, I heard that someone had been killed in the neighbourhood. Christiana, one of the prostitutes at the hotel, called me that I should not come around the premises, that there was a problem. That was why I didn’t come that very day.
Later the following day, Friday, she called me to say that she had heard some gunshots close to the hotel and that it was like someone had been killed. She also told me that everyone had run out of the hotel because of the incident.
Then I asked her where she was, and she said she was at the bus stop. I then asked her to look for somewhere safe at the bus stop to wait for me.
“When I met her, we both went to a hotel in Okokomaiko where we lodged for the night. I could not take her home because I am married with two kids. The day after, Saturday, we both went to see the director of Bright International Hotel. I was still at the hotel when police officers from Iyana-Sashi arrived and said they wanted me at the station. When I got to the station, I was arrested and detained. I explained to them that I didn’t know anything about the victim’s death.
“I don’t know the victim”
In his defence, Ganiyu said: “I wanted to go to Abuja with a friend to repair a vehicle because I am a mechanic. So, I was supposed to travel around 6am. Unfortunately, I woke up after 8am and by the time I got to my friend’s house, they said he had already travelled. I didn’t have any money to go back home. I then went to the bus stop and pleaded with one of the NURTW members to give me N100 to enable me return to Badagry. I didn’t know him before but he assured me that he would talk to a driver or conductor to help me get to Badagry.
We were still at the bus stop when I was arrested alongside the man I had asked for help. It was when I got to the station that I realised that someone had been killed. I have never seen the deceased. I don’t even know whether he is fair or dark.”
“I am a driver, dancer and member of NURTW”
The fourth suspect, Onochie, also had a different story to tell: “ I am a driver, a dancer and a member of NURTW. I have been living at Pako-Ketu for more than 13 years. I am married with two children. I started working at the new Pako/Ketu Bus stop where I collect toll from commercial motorcyclists as well as motorists. I started working with them when driving and dancing did not favour me.
I stopped driving because I don’t have licence. I had the old driver’s licence which I misplaced, so I had to stop driving because of police frequent harassments on the road. I was arrested in the morning at about 9am. The deceased was a street boy. I know his mother and sisters. We both went to Ajangbandi High School. I don’t know much about him because he did not participate in any of the community activities.
Community activities
I cater for my family from the toll I collect and make delivery of N2,000 daily to the youth chairman of the community.”
“My hands are clean”
The last suspect, Ajibade, who claimed to be an electrical engineer said: “They arrested me as a murder suspect. I don’t know anything about the murder of Shina. I was arrested in my house at Ajibade Close. After I was arrested, people from the community came and the Police said I had been transferred.
Later, the Police said they were still investigating and that after investigations, if they found me clean, I would be released. I have known Shina for about 20 years, when he was still a little boy. Then, I used to help my mother who owns a grinding machine, to grind pepper. That’s all I know about the case.”
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