I killed motorcyclist to raise money for yam tubers, says suspect

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A murder suspect, Ayo Lawal, who allegedly killed a motorcyclist in Ekiti State, has disclosed that he committed the crime to raise money to purchase yam tubers for the 2020/2021 planting season.

The offence was committed at Odo Oro in Ikole Council of the state recently, when Lawal, in company of Jimoh Ojo, Sule Abduallahi and one person named Wonder, killed the motorcyclist, simply identified as Isaac, in his farm.

Isaac was said to have conveyed the suspects from Ikole to a farmstead at Odo Oro Ekiti, where he was murdered and his body interred in a shallow grave in a farm belonging to Lawal.

While being paraded yesterday alongside five others by the state Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, Lawal said he was prodded by Abdullahi, who is now at large, to commit the crime, saying: “It was Abdullahi that said we should kill the deceased, so that he could go to Okenne, Kogi State and sell the motorbike with intention to use my own share to buy yam tubers for the next year’s planting season.”

During the parade, the Police spokesperson said two of the suspects had been arrested and had confessed to the commission of the crime, adding that the Police were on the trail of Abdullahi and Wonder, who had allegedly fled with the motorbike to Kogi State.

“Following a tip off, the Command’s operatives had on November 24, this year, arrested Ayo Lawal and Jimoh Ojo and they had made confessional statement. We are assuring you that those who at large will be arrested soon,” he said.

Abutu also paraded one Yakubu Aliyu, who was arrested inside a forest at Ilemesho Ekiti in Oye Council for alleged kidnapping, noting: “During interrogation, Aliyu confessed to be a member of a syndicate that kidnapped Mr. Folorunso Olabode, former Commissioner for Agriculture under Governor Kayode Fayemi.

“Other gang members included Dani, Gide, Danja, Bello, Sidi, Babi, Ali and Wada. Both Wada and Bello Mohammed had earlier been arrested, prosecuted and now imprisoned at the Ekiti State Correctional Centre.

“We have invited the former commissioner to come and identify them. But the suspects said their victims’ faces were covered and that it would be difficult for anyone to identify their faces.”