A professor’s security guard was the mastermind of his employer’s kidnap and eventual murder, the Ekiti State Police Command said Thursday.
A press release issued by the police command described how 75-year-old Professor Femi Olaofe of the Ekiti State University (EKSU) was abducted and killed.
DSP Dan Abutu, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, said in the statement that the security guard, Abdul Opotu, was the one who brought in the kidnappers and masterminded the whole operation.
He said the police have arrested six suspects.
The statement reads:
EKITI STATE POLICE COMMAND
01/08/2024
PRESS RELEASE:
Professor Femi Olaofe’s kidnap and murder;
√ Police identify prime suspects, arrest six.
On 09/07/2024 at about 13:00hrs, an unknown gang of armed men allegedly stormed the residence of one Professor Femi Olaofe at 15th Avenue, Federal Housing Estate, Ado-Ekiti, kidnapped him alongside his security guard, one Abdul Opotu, and took them to an unknown destination with the professor’s Toyota Camry car.
Upon the receipt of the information, the Command deployed the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) to the scene for the possible rescue of the victims and the arrest of the perpetrators, but they had already whisked the victims away before the arrival of the operatives.
The operatives however, combed the forest between Ado-Ekiti and Afao-Ekiti and recovered the Professor Femi Olaofe’s Camry car.
The Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, CP Akinwale Kunle Adeniran, mni, immediately ordered a discreet investigation and a painstaking operation to ensure the rescue of the victims and arrest of the perpetrators.
This led to the arrest of one Omowaye Ayodele, a.k.a A.Y., at Bencom Guest House, Akure, Ondo State. Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to the commission of the crime and mentioned one Kenneth, Amodu Gbenga, a.k.a. Toro, Nnamani Chukwuka, a.k.a. Amechi, and Ojо, a.k.a. Ojo ljan, as his accomplices.
He confessed further that Abdul Opotu, who was the security guard of the victim, Professor Femi Olaofe, was the one who invited them to kidnap the Professor. According to him, the security guard was not kidnapped alongside the professor as earlier reported. He only played along and made the operation easier for them.
Omowaye Ayodele confessed that the two AK-47 rifles used to kidnap the Professor were in possession of Kenneth, who is currently at large.
Further Investigation led to the arrest of Amodu Gbenga, a.k.a. Toro, who also confessed to the commission of the crime during investigation and further narrated how he used to supply food and water to the gang members in their hideouts located in a bush behind Government College, off Ijan Road, Ado-Ekiti.
The two suspects led the police operatives to their hideouts for the possible rescue of the victim but was discovered that the gang in custody of the victim had already relocated with the victim to another unknown location.
Further investigation on 30/07/2024 led to the discovery of a shallow grave in a bush located at Off Afao Road, behind the new airport site, Ado-Ekiti, where a human being was suspectedly killed and buried.
Consequently, Order of Exhumation and Coroner Forms were obtained from the Magistrate Court, Ado-Ekiti, while the Ministry of Environment was contacted.
On 31/07/2024, the police led the Ministry of Environment and some medical practitioners to the scene where the corpse was exhumed and later identified as the earlier kidnapped Professor Femi OlaOfe. The corpse has been deposited at Ekiti State Teaching Hospital morgue, Ado-Ekiti, for autopsy.
Effort is ongoing for the possible arrest of the fleeing members of the gangs, including the security guard of the kidnapped and murdered Professor, who masterminded the crime.
Meanwhile, six suspects have been arrested so far and are in custody, undergoing investigation.
DSP ABUTU SUNDAY, ANIPR
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FOR: COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
EKITI STATE COMMAND
