How Funke Olakunrin’s Murderers Were Arrested

For the record

ABUJA: It’s no longer news that the Nigerian police force has arrested the men responsible for the murder of Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, leader of Pro-Yoruba group, Afenifere, but the agency also released their photographs.

According to a statement released to the media on Thursday, April 16, 2020, the Police also released the names of the murderers.

The statement reads;  “Police Operatives have arrested the killers of Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, daughter of the leader of the PAN-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti.”

“The suspects are:

1. Lawal Mazaje ‘m’ 40yrs from Felele area of Kogi State
2. Adamu Adamu ‘m’ 50yrs from Jada area of Adamawa State.

iii. Mohammed Shehu Usman ‘m’ 26 years from Illela area of Sokoto State

1. Auwal Abubakar ‘m’ 25yrs from Shinkafi area of Zamfara State

The statement signed by Force spokesman, DCP Frank Mba, revealed how the criminals were captured.

“After months of relentless efforts to apprehend the killers, the Police Team, on 4th March 2020 during a follow-up action on a case of a high-profile armed robbery and kidnap for ransom that occurred in Ogun State, arrested one Auwal Abubakar ‘m’ 25yrs, an accessory after the fact of the crime, along Sagamu-Ore expressway in Ondo State.”

“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. While four (4) of the suspects (mentioned above) are in custody, effort is being intensified to arrest the four (4) others still on the run.”

“The 8-man gang has their operational base and membership spread in the south-western part of the country and Edo State.” the statement posited.