Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
Operatives of Ogun State Police Command, have arrested two cousins, 34-year-old, Damilola Famoriyo and 31-year-old, Akinbayo Emmanuel Abiodun for robbing one Amos Oyemechi Chuckwuka of his tricycle.
They also killed him and dumped his corpse at a riverbank in Ijebu-Ode.
The Command Spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
It would be recalled that in December, the Chairman of Yemule-Ikangba-Agoro Fish Farmers Association, Comr Lazarus Okole in a press briefing held at Ikangba, via Ijebu Ode had raised alarm over the killing of Oyemachi, a fish farmer who also augmented his fish farming business with riding of tricycle.
Okole had narrated how on December 12, the 32-year-old Amos Oyemachi was brutally murdered on this bad Ikangba-Agoro road while his newly bought tricycle was taken away.
Okole said his family had waited for him to return home in the evening and had raised alarm the following day after which his mutilated body was discovered at Agoro end of the said bad road. Oyemachi was said to have been buried on Saturday, December 17 leaving behind a wife and two children aged five and two.
Oyeyemi said that the alleged killers of Oyemachi were arrested following information received by policemen attached to Obalende divisional headquarters, Ijebu Ode, on the 13th of December 2022, that a dead body which was later identified as that of a tricycle rider was found on the riverbank at Agoro area of Ijebu Ode.
Upon the information, Oyeyemi added, the DPO Obalende Division, SP Murphy Salami led his detectives to the scene, where it was discovered that the deceased was matcheted to death after which his tricycle was taken away.
He explained that, “The DPO, then detailed his crack team to embark on technical and forensic investigation of the incident in order to unravel those behind the devilish act.
“Their efforts yielded positive result on the 9th of February 2023, when one of the suspects, Damilola Famoriyo, who reside at New site, Awosan Fakale, Ikorodu Lagos, was arrested with the deceased’s phone.
“His arrest, led to the apprehension of his accomplice, who is also his cousin, Akinbayo Emmanuel Abiodun of Road 1, Block A, Maya Ikorodu Lagos State.
“On interrogation, the two suspects confessed to the commission of the crime.
“In their statements, they confessed been a 2-man syndicate who specialised in snatching motorcycles and tricycles.
“They confessed further that they always carry out their robbery operation in Ijebu ode and its environs.
“According to them, on the 13th of December 2022, they lured the victim Amos Oyemechi Chuckwuka to carry their farm produce from Agoro area to the town, and they agreed on a price. But on getting to Agoro/Ikangba road, they stopped him and snatched the tricycle from him. It was when the deceased tried to struggle with them that they matcheted him to death and dragged his corpse to the riverbank where they dumped him.
“They informed the police further that they have snatched up to eight tricycles in Ijebu Ode area, and that their standby buyers are residing at Ikorodu in Lagos State.”
Items recovered from them are two phones of the deceased as well as the cutlass they used to kill him.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba, has directed that the suspects be transferred to State Criminal Investigation Departments for discreet investigation.