A case of killing, threat to life, adoption

Funmilola Ogunlaja, Female, Native of Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria citizen, hereby make an oath and stat as follows:

That I am the biological sister of Late Yusuf Ogunlaja.

That Ogunlaja  Funmilayo is my niece and Egberuare Edewede Vanessa is my mother.

That my brother Late Yusufr Ogunlaja was a businessman before he died.

That Egberuare Edewede Vanessa was a partner to the deceased sister, also a Construction Manager with Panavos Multipurpose Limited.

That we have been living peacefully in Lagos State until my brother was killed and we were forced to abandon the house and our belongings to hide and run for our lives.

That in April 2020 during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown, my brother gave out palliatives to the needy.

That some group of people known to be in some fraternity attached to him, the face-off was so brutal that he was stabled and admitted, the said guys arrested by the police and the court vindicated my brother.

That on the 23 rd April 2021, my brother was kidnapped with his daughter at his resident; no ransom was requested for their release in weeks.

That on the 13th of July, 2021 they were released and he was threatened by same groups to leave the community else they will kill him and his family any time they set their eyes on him.

That on the 30th September, 2021, my brother was killed by unknown gunmen at his home town in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State, he was shot and his left hand chopped off after death.

That my niece Ogunlaja Funmilayo was instantly taken to her grandmother (Egberuare Edewede Vanessa) in Utieh Village in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.

That on 1st of October 2021, I received a call from Funmilayo’s grandmother asking me to come; she was not in a good condition.

That she narrated all the happened on 14th October, 2021, how some unknown gunmen invaded her compound and took my niece, claiming she recognized some of them from the first kidnapped, she was badly injured due to her resistance to let go of her granddaughter,

That she was also threatened to tell them where her daughter (Egberuare Edewede Vanessa) is hiding which she refused, and that lead to a lot of beating.

That she had to pretend to have lost consciousness, she over heard them saying they will find Egberuare Edewede Vanessa anywhere she is in Nigeria and made sure she wiped out too, that they cannot afford to leave any lose ends.

That since the incident of my brother’s killing and the adoption of his daughter, the family members have been strongly advice to stay out of sight, some have travelled out Nigeria to seek refugee and safety of their lives.

That all effort to get them and pay a ransom for the release of my niece have been proven abortive, and she had not been released till date.

That this event has negatively impacted our whole family and my mother, which I don’t even know how she will react to this later in life.

That since the incident, we have been in hiding, also living in fear.

That I was able to report to the police on the 24th day of December, 2021, and the IPO in charge asked to make my statement on oat.

That this report is needed for record purpose.

That I make this declaration in good faith believing the same to be true and correct in accordance. with Oath law of Lagos State.