But the plot, which was not even to the knowledge of the older wife and supposed beneficiary, failed as the assassin was apprehended before the attack. He was found lurking around at Idi-Obi area of Ibadan, the residence of the target in the early hours of August 6, 2013. Residents going to the mosque had reported his strange movements to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ibadan, which promptly dispatched a team to the area and arrested him.
The police recovered from him a locally-made single barrel gun, loaded with a live cartridge along with the photograph of the would-be victim and two extra live cartridges.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Indabawa, who paraded the suspects at the state police headquarters, Eleiyele in Ibadan, said Christopher’s arrest led to that of Lateef and one Ademola Adeniyi, who allegedly facilitated the attempted murder contract.
Other items recovered from the three suspects include one locally made pistol, two locally made single barrel gun, one dane gun, eight live cartridges, one dismantled locally made gun, two cutlasses, eight different handsets, a cellophane bag containing charms and the photograph of Mrs Ololade Abidoye and her husband.
Lateef, in a chat with reporters, admitted consulting Adeniyi to help him find a killer, who could help in eliminating his target of hate, saying he did it, because of the shabby manner the husband had been treating his wife of many years and who bore him five children. “I knew it was because of the newly wedded wife (Ololade), that my boss treats his first wife anyhow. I am not a bad person as people might think. I have my own wives. I have two wives. But what I did was out of pity for my boss’s first wife. He had been maltreating her for the second wife he just married. He once beat her in my presence. Again, one day, in the dead of the night, the first wife called me to come and assist her to the hospital. When I got there, I was shocked to see her soaked in blood from the injury she sustained while the husband was beating her. I wanted to assist her in reporting to the police, but she stopped me, saying that she wouldn’t want her husband arrested.
“I thought that it was wicked of the man to treat his wife of many years who had given birth to five children shabbily, because of a new wife. That was what made me send hired assassins to the woman to kill her so that the first wife will have rest of mind,” he said.
He said he lied to Adeniyi to get his cooperation. His words: “I lied to him that a woman collected my father’s gratuity of N20million and turned me to a pauper. I told him to get me someone to get rid of the woman.”
Asked if there was any relationship between him and the first wife, he said: “I just knew her as my boss’ wife about two years ago after five years of working for the man. She called me that night because I have a motorcycle and the husband left her immediately she was injured.”
The suspect claimed that the senior wife never knew of his plan. “What I did was out of pity for the woman,” he insisted.
Christopher who hails from Enugu State, but resides with his brother at Ago-Iwoye in Ogun State, who he claimed, was also an assassin, said he got the job from one Ifa, who was Adeniyi’s friend. “Ifa brought the job to my brother and he informed me. We negotiated the price and agreed on N80,000. But I hadn’t collected anything before I was caught.
Lateef offered to pay N40,000 while he said Adeniyi would add N40,000. I brought the gun I was using for hunting in my village, but I was yet to get to the woman’s house when I was questioned by residents and later handed over to the police. They were beating me when Adeniyi called to ask if I had killed the woman. I replied him affirmatively. When I was at the police station, he called again and I led the police to him.”
Adeniyi, in his comments, said it was poverty that led to his present predicament, stressing that he was unable to resist Lateef’s demand because he had helped him when all hope seemed to have been lost for him. He also claimed Lateef piled pressure on him. “Any time I travelled to Ago-Iwoye on weekends, he would call me and ask if I was not going to help. My heart would be pumping with fear, so after some time, I agreed to help him and contacted Ifa. I knew he used to do charms for Christopher’s brother. After they agreed on the price, Ifa told Lateef to bring the woman’s picture, which he did. When they agreed on the fee, Lateef forced me to pay N40,000 out of it, saying that I should offer him some assistance. He was the one who gave Christopher the three cartridges that were found on him. I went to drop him around the woman’s house in the morning of August 6, but unfortunately, he was challenged by people going to the mosque and when he was beaten, he mentioned my name. I was arrested and I also told the police that the job was given to me by Lateef.”
The police commissioner said that the suspects would all soon be prosecuted.
No comments:
Post a Comment