The Nigeria Police on Thursday said the suspected killers of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, have been arrested.
The four suspects where arrested in connection with the murder of the deceased on July 13, 2019, while the police have declared Tambaya, the alleged leader of the gang, wanted.
The suspects are: Lawal Mazaje (40) from Felele area of Kogi State, Adamu Adamu (50yrs) from Jada area of Adamawa State, Mohammed Shehu Usman (26) years from Illela area of Sokoto State and Auwal Abubakar (25) from Shinkafi area of Zamfara State.
In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, the arrests were made after relentless efforts of a 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, Abuja.
The statement read in parts: ”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 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 Mrs Funke Olakunrin, the investigators, determined to clear all doubts relating to their findings, on 8th April, 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.
”The survivor gave a clear description of the roles each of the identified suspects played in the killing. At this point, the suspects capitulated and voluntarily offered a no-holds-barred confession on how Mrs Funke Olakunrin was killed.
”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.”
Describing the principal suspect, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) said, ”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 police spokesman further assured that the suspects will be diligently prosecuted on completion of investigations, while members of the gang still at large will be apprehended.
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