• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Police nab killers of Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Fasoranti

Funke Olakunrin

The Nigeria Police Operatives have announced the arrest of the killers of Funke Olakunrin, daughter of the leader of the PAN-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere Reuben Fasoranti.

According to a statement from the police force on Thursday, the Inspector General of Police, M.A Adamu, had on 13th July, 2019 deployed the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Fimihan Adeoye, to coordinate the team of Police Special Forces and seasoned investigators from the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID), Federal SARS, Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU) from the Force Headquarters, to carry out massive manhunt following the attack and murder of Funke Olakunrin by unknown persons between Kajola and Ore along Ondo-Ore road in Ondo State on 12 July, 2020.

The statement which was signed by Frank MBA, Force Public Relations Officer, reveals that after several months of relentless efforts to apprehend the killers, the Police Team, on 4th March, 2020 during a follow-up action on a case of a high-profile armed robbery and kidnap for ransom that occurred in Ogun State, arrested Auwal Abubakar ‘m’ 25yrs, an accessory after the fact of the crime, along Sagamu-Ore expressway in Ondo State.

“The arrest of Auwal Abubakar led to the arrest of two (2) other members of the gang, Mohammed Shehu Usman and Lawal Mazaje in Benin, Edo State from whom a cache of ammunition was recovered and one other Adamu Adamu in Akure, Ondo State”.

“Having established sufficient physical and forensic evidence linking the suspects to the killing of Funke Olakunrin, the investigators, determined to clear all doubts relating to their findings, on 8thApril, 2020, conducted an Identification Parade at the Federal SARS Headquarters, Lagos which led to the positive and physical identification of three (3) suspects, Adamu Adamu, Lawal Mazaje and Mohammed Shehu Usman by a survivor of the earlier crime”.

According to the police force, the suspects capitulated and voluntarily offered a no-holds-barred confession on how Funke Olakunrin was killed as the survivor gave a clear description of the roles each of the identified suspects played in the killing.

“Investigations so far reveal that the operation that led to the killing was carried out by eight (8) fully armed kidnap/robbery suspects led by one Tambaya (other name unknown) who is currently at large, while four (4) of the suspects Lawal Mazaje, Adamu Adamu, Mohammed Shehu Usman, and Auwal Abubakar are in custody”.

“Effort is being intensified to arrest the four others still on the run. The 8-man gang has their operational base and membership spread in the south-western part of the country and Edo State”.

“Investigations have also revealed that they are responsible for series of high-profile armed robbery and kidnap operations in the region as they have also attacked, vandalize and steal components of critical national infrastructures such as electrical and telecommunications installations”.

Consequently, the Inspector General of Police hereby declares the principal suspect, Tambaya (other names unknown) wanted for his involvement in the death of Funke Olakunrin.

“Tambaya, a Nigerian, speaks Hausa, Fulfulde and Pidgin English languages. He is fair in complexion and in his late 20s – between the age of 27 and 30. His last known address is Isanlu, Kogi State. He has visible scar from stitches on his forehead down to his nose and mouth”.

The available information of the other suspects reveals Lawal Mazaje ‘m’ 40 years from Felele area of Kogi State, Adamu Adamu ‘m’ 50 years from Jada area of Adamawa State, Mohammed Shehu Usman ‘m’ 26 years from Illela area of Sokoto State and Auwal Abubakar ‘m’ 25 years from Shinkafi area of Zamfara State

The IGP assures that the suspects will be diligently prosecuted on completion of investigations and that the Force will not relent until every member of the gang, still at large, is arrested and brought to book.

 

Cynthia Egboboh, Abuja.