Landlord’s Son, 3 Others Detained Over Okada Rider’s Murder

Detectives at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti, Yaba, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, are presently interrogating a landlord’s son, Muyideen Adisa, a night guard identified as Kazeem and two other suspects in connection with the alleged murder of a commercial motorcyclist, Shuaibu Bamgbose.

Crime Watch learnt that the 39-year old okada rider and father of four was matcheted to death on the allegation that he was a thief.

The late Bamgbose, a native of Ifonyitedo in Yewa area of Ogun State was until his death resident at Meiran. But he often put up with his cousin in his one-room apartment at 16, Folorunsho Street, off Ilobu Street, Oko-Oba, Agege.

Investigation revealed that about two Mondays ago, the late Bamgbose put up with his cousin, but at the middle of the night, he woke-up, perhaps drunked, and he started shouting, “Esu jade” meaning ”Satan get out.”

His noise attracted other tenants in the house. They tried to calm him but they could not. He went out of the house and marched on to the streets.

Shortly after, information filtered in to his cousin, Gabriel Adekanbi and other tenants that the deceased had been arrested and matcheted at the nearby Adikatu Street.

His cousin, Adekanbi, told Crime Watch, “he slept in my room on the day of the incident because it was late to go home in Meiran. He came in at about 9 p.m. from his work as okada rider.

“But he woke up at about 5 p.m. and started shouting “Esu jade,” meaning Satan get out,” as he was moving out of the house. Shortly afterwards, two night guards came into our house to say that a man who left the house was beaten at the nearby street.

“I followed them to Adikatu Street. I met him, they had beaten him to a stupor and threw him inside a soak away pit. They continued to shout “ole, ole” meaning “thief, thief.” I told them he was an okada rider and not a thief. I told them I was going to call our family members.

“But before I returned to the scene with the deceased’s younger brother, Yekini Bamgbose, they had brought him out of the soak-away pit, tied and matcheted him. We begged that they allow us take him to the hospital. The landlord’s son, Muyideen claimed he was a thief and that they wanted to kill him. They threatened to beat us up.

“When eventually they released him, we took him to Oluadebo Hospital, where he was confirmed dead, even before we obtained a card for him.”

The incident was later reported to the police at Abattoir Police Division where policemen on patrol came to the house and arrested the four suspects. After their preliminary investigation, the matter was transferred to SCID, Panti, Yaba.

Speaking about the deceased, the Chairman of Onike Unit of Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State, MOALS, Akeem Adekanbi said: “I knew the deceased too well. He does not steal. He was a responsible man.”

A police source told Crime Watch that the suspects have made useful statements to the police.