The Ekiti State Police Command has launched manhunt for Abdul Opotu, the safety guard of the late former Deputy Vice Chancellor of Ekiti State College, Prof. Femi Olaofe as alleged mastermind behind the kidnapping and homicide of the deceased.
Police additionally disclosed that six individuals have been arrested in reference to the kidnap and homicide of the late college professor.
LEADERSHIP recollects that the physique of Prof. Olaofe was found alongside Airport Highway, Ado-Ijan, the place it was buried in a shallow grave barely 20 days after his abduction.
Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Sunday Abutu on Thursday mentioned the state’s Commissioner of Police, CP Akinwale Adeniran, had ordered a discrete investigation and a painstaking operation to make sure the rescue of Prof. Olaofe, his safety guard and arrest of the perpetrators earlier than the invention of his corpse.
Abutu mentioned the six suspects who’re presently present process investigation had been arrested at completely different occasions after the kidnapping of the college trainer.
“This led to the arrest of 1 Omowaye Ayodele at Bencom Visitor Home, Akure, Ondo State.
“Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to the fee of the crime and talked about one Kenneth, Amodu Gbenga, Nnamani Chukwuka and Ojо a.ok.a Ojo ljan as his accomplices.
“He additionally confessed additional that Abdul Opotu who was the safety guard of the sufferer, Olaofe, was the one who invited them to kidnap the late Professor,” Abutu mentioned.
The safety guard, in response to him, was not kidnapped alongside the professor as earlier reported, however solely performed alongside and made the operation simpler for them.
“Omowaye Ayodele confessed that the 2 AK-47 rifles used to kidnap the Professor had been in possession of Kenneth who’s at the moment at giant,” the PPRO mentioned.
Abutu mentioned additional investigation led to the arrest of Amodu Gbenga who additionally confessed to the fee of the crime throughout investigation and additional narrated how he used to provide meals and water to the gang members of their hideouts positioned in a bush behind Authorities Faculty, Off Ijan Highway, Ado-Ekiti.
“The 2 suspects led the police operatives to their hideouts for the attainable rescue of the sufferer, however it was found that the gang in custody of the sufferer had already relocated with the sufferer to a different unknown location.
“Additional investigation on 30/07/2024 led to the invention of a shallow grave in a bush positioned at Off Afao Highway, behind the brand new Airport website, Ado-Ekiti, the place a human being was ‘suspectedly’ killed and buried.
“Consequently, Order of Exhumation and Coroner Varieties had been obtained from the Justice of the Peace Courtroom, Ado-Ekiti, whereas the Ministry of Atmosphere was contacted.
“On 31/07/2024, the Police led the Ministry of Atmosphere and a few Medical Practitioners to the scene the place the corpse was exhumed and later recognized as the sooner kidnapped Professor OlaOfe,” Abutu mentioned.
He added that the corpse has been deposited At Ekiti State Instructing Hospital Morgue, Ado-Ekiti, for post-mortem.
The police picture maker additional mentioned that efforts had been ongoing for the attainable arrest of the fleeing members of the gangs, together with the safety guard who masterminded the crime.
