‘Probe Ikeja Cantonment over Alleged Soldiers’  Night Robbery, Killings’

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and James Sowole in Abeokuta

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Adeola, has alleged that soldiers of the Nigeria Army operating checkpoints around Ikeja axis of Lagos State were responsible for the killing of his senior aide, Mr. Adeniyi Oluwatosin Sanni, in the early hours of Saturday August 5, 2023. 

This Senator made the allegation  in a statement he personally signed and made available to THISDAY in Abuja yesterday.

He has therefore, urged the headquarters of the Nigerian Army to launch an investigation into the matter

The  bereaved federal lawmaker had in a statement on August 5, stated that information available to him on the circumstances that led to the death of late Sani, indicated that hei was stopped at a checking point around the Ojodu- Berger Area of Lagos on his way to his home at Isheri by “security agents” .

The deceased was asked to provide the documents of the car he was driving, which he did through a call to his wife who sent all the documents to his phone through a WhatsApp message.

It was gathered that the wife called a while later and the late Sanni told him soldiers were still checking the vehicle’s documents.

That was the last she heard from her husband and the remains of Sanni, ridden with bullets were later discovered at the Toyota Bus Stop area of Oshodi, close to a military barrack. 

Adeola, however gave an update about the investigation of the murder and armed robbery by the Nigerian Police Force in his statement yesterday.

He said;, “I am of the firm belief, based on available facts at the disposal of the Police that  my aide was killed by a syndicate of soldiers operating under the newly deployed Commander of 9 Brigade, Ikeja Cantonment of the Nigeria Army, Brigadier General AM Adetuyi through mounting of checkpoints and robbing of lone occupants of cars. 

“Top Police sources familiar with the investigation informed me that a similar brutal killing and armed robbery occurred around the same Ojodu- Berger late Thursday night of August 17, 2023 resulting in the killing of another Nigerian whose body was discovered around Iyana- Ipaja after he was taken away by soldiers from the checkpoint. 

“Unknown to the soldiers, the occupant of the car they killed and took away his car was the second car in a convoy of two heading towards the same destination. 

“The first car passed the soldiers checkpoint but the second car was stopped to check his vehicle’s papers. 

“On noticing the absence of the second car after a while, the occupant of the first car (name withheld) placed a call to his colleague in the second car who informed him that he was being taking to Iyana Ipaja by the soldiers at the checkpoint. 

“That was the last he heard from him and his dead body was later discovered dumped on the road just like Mr. Sanni. 

“The survivor in the first car reported the case to the Police and a pattern of armed robbery and killing in the area involving men in Army uniform was established.”

 Adeola therefore called on the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, to direct the fishing out of the killers of his aide for further investigation, prosecution and justice for the deceased.

He said such pattern of killings and armed robbery had been established against soldiers mounting late night checkpoints around Ikeja with similar unreported incidences in recent times around Ikeja.

He added that the Nigerian Army cannot be seen to cordon or harbour rogue elements robbing and killing innocent Nigerians within its fold. 

“Till date, the black Toyota Camry of Mr. Sanni, his phones and other valuables are yet to be recovered,” he lamented.