Police investigate mysterious murder of businesswoman

• Two nabbed for allegedly hypnotizing woman to rob her of N1.4m
• 400-level medical student says he got firearms for self-protection

The police have commenced investigation into the alleged Monday night’s murder of a Lagos businesswoman, Abimbola Ayanwale. Ayanwale, a clothier, was alleged to have been murdered by someone who called her on her mobile phone after she returned home from work.

She was said to have gone out shortly after receiving the call only for her dead body to be pushed off a commercial bus near the Maryland Mall on Ikorodu Road. According to a tribute on Facebook by her relative, Adegoke Adekemi, they were called at about 11:00p.m. on Monday that she was dead.

It was gathered that Close Circuit Television (CCTV) footage obtained from a shop near the shopping mall showed when her body was pushed off a moving commercial bus. Her legs were allegedly tied with a bullet wound seen on her body.

Her friends and relatives, who took to social media to mourn, described her death as a clear case of murder, noting that none of her valuables were stolen nor her body part missing.

When contacted, police spokesman, Bala Elkana, said there was no sign of bullet wound or stabbing on the woman’s body. He said investigation has commenced on the matter to ascertain the true position. “No sign of bullet wounds or stabbing on her body. She seems to have jumped out of the moving vehicle.”

Asked if it was true her legs were tied and she left the house following a call, Elkana declined to comment further on the issue, stating that the police would not want to compromise ongoing investigation.

Meanwhile, the Oyo State police command has arrested Taiyo Salami and Kamorudeen Amusat for hypnotizing a lady and making away with her N1.4 million. The Commissioner of Police, Shina Olukolu, yesterday told newsmen that one Mary Ajayi was sent by her boss, Chioma Nwali, to deposit a cash sum of N1.4 million in an Access Bank at Dugbe area of Ibadan.

On her way, Ajayi was allegedly hypnotised by Salami and lost her senses. Thereafter, she was taken to Inalende area of the city where the money was collected from her. According to the commissioner, the suspect inflicted several injuries on her body and locked her up in a room in the area.

“The information about the whereabouts of the victim was reported to the Divisional Police Headquarters, Mokola, and she was rescued and taken to hospital,” he said.

Also, the command said it had arrested 16 suspects, including a student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, over alleged armed robbery, cultism and conspiracy.
The police boss, Olukolu, said the LAUTECH student had confessed to being a member of illegal Eiye secret confraternity in the institution and had been unleashing mayhem on members of the public and students.

The 400-level student of Medicine and Surgery in the University of Calabar (UNICAL) who was arrested for alleged cultism and illegal possession of firearms said he got the arms for self-protection.

Ikezue Nnamdi Kingsley made the confession while being paraded yesterday by the Cross River State police command along with 24 other suspects for various crimes. He said he got the firearms from a friend and that the military uniform which was also found on him was gotten when he was a student of Nigeria military school in Zaria.