Six Arrested over Army Colonel’s Death
Nigeria Army has arrested six people over the alleged murder of former Commandant, Command Secondary School, Apata Ibadan, Colonel Anthony Ekor Okeyim.
After successful investigation into the death of former Commandant, the Nigerian Army 2 Division, Odogbo Cantonment yesterday paraded six man- gang who allegedly killed the Army officer.
The suspects, who were paraded at the 2 Division headquarters, Ojoo Ibadan, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), were believed to have played varying roles in the killing of the late senior officers in his residence
The name of the suspects are: Solomon Agbada Emmanuel, 20 years; Bibisoye Kehinde (Aka) Efrebor, 27 years and Taiwo Adeniyi 34 years.
Others are: Ewere Andrew 25, Ephraim Obi, 38 and Udobata Onusa (Aka) Kaka 28.
The lifeless body of the late commandant was found in the premises of Command Secondary School on the December 12, 2016 after some suspected assailant had visited the premises stealing some personal belongings of the deceased Commandant including his cell phone.
Autopsy reports said the deceased died as a result of rise in intracranial pressure from intracranial hemorrhage caused by fracture of the skull.
He was said to have been promoted to the rank of brigadier three weeks before his death and he was waiting to be fully decorated with his new rank at the time of his assassination.
Parading the suspects, Deputy Director, Public Relations, 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Colonel Timothy Antigha in company of the Commander, 2 Division Provost Group, Colonel Abdullahi Ibrahim said the stolen phone Samsung X4 helped greatly in apprehending the killers as the phone was later found in the possession of first suspect.
According to Anthiga, the first suspect; Solomon Emmanuel who claimed that he got the phone from the third suspect: Taiwo Adeniyi also confessed stated that on the night of December 11, 2016 he and the other named suspects went to CSS Apata in an ash coloured Toyota camry car belonging to the first suspect
The second suspect also confirmed that the fifth suspect’s car was used for the murder. He admitted that he was the one who switched off the generator in the deceased officer’s house before the murder.
He described the late senior officer vividly, as well as the dress the deceased officer wore at the time of their attack.
Investigation also revealed that the third suspect claimed that he was notified of the plot to attack the late senior officer by the second suspect but the fourth suspect stated that he was with the second, third, fifth and sixth suspects during the murder of the late senior officer.
Antigha explained the fifth suspect provided the logistics for operation as his vehicle, an ash coloured Toyota Camry was used to move the gang to and from CSS Apata.
But, the sixth suspect was mentioned by others as being a member of the gang
The Army hierarchy however noted that the suspects and all available evidences that links them to the incident would be handed over to Nigeria Police authorities in Ibadan for further and necessary action
“On behalf of the General Officer Commanding, division, Major General Chukwunedum Abraham, I thank the Nigerian police and the Department of the State Services, Oyo State Commands for their invaluable support, without which very little progress would have been made in unearthing the circumstances surrounding the death of the late senior officer”, the Army Deputy Director, PR stated
While addressing journalist at press briefing Colonel Abdullahi urged parents to watch their children to know the kind of friends they are move with and the company of those they spend their time.
