Two held for barber’s death

The police have arrested two men, Saheed Araba and Femi Omolajau, for the death of a barber, Ademola Olarape, in Ijede area of Ikorodu, Lagos.

The police said Olarape, 24, was shot dead in his shop opposite Ijede Palace, around 4pm by unknown gunmen.

The police said at about 4:05pm on Wednesday they received a distress call from Olarape’s elder brother, Mr Sunday Olaifa, of 11 Ijede Street, Igbe, Kapo, Ikorodu.

Police spokesperson Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP), explained that a combined team of operatives from Area N and Ijede Division responded to the call.

She said: “They swung into action immediately. Consequently one Saheed Araba and Femi Omolajau were apprehended. Found in their possession were one locally made pistol, two live cartridges and a cutlass, while one expended cartridge was recovered from the scene.

“The suspects have given useful information about the occurrence and the Commissioner of Police (CP), Fatai Owoseni, has directed that the case be transferred to State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCIID) Panti, Yaba, for further discreet investigation.”

She emphasised that the command would no longer tolerate cultism related activities in the state.

A shop keeper who declined to identify himself told The Nation that he was around when the incident happened.

“I was in my shop. I didn’t know when they climbed upstairs to meet him but I heard the gunshot and I thought it was fireworks,” he said.

A commercial motorcyclist, who refused to give his name, said cultism had become a menace in the area, adding: “It is a serious problem here. Cultists are always bothering people. Just some hours before the barber was killed, my wife called me on phone and asked me if I had heard that the boys were outside bothering people. I said I had, that all the Okada riders had even fled.”