The Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, has confirmed the arrest of four men suspected to have murdered Mrs Funke Olakunrin, the daughter of the leader of Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba sociocultural group, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.
According to a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Police Force, Frank Mba, those arrested are Lawal Mazaje, 40 years from Felele area of Kogi State; Adamu Adamu, 50 years from Jada area of Adamawa State; Mohammed Shehu Usman, 26 years from Illela area of Sokoto State and Auwal Abubakar, 25 years from Shinkafi area of
Zamfara State.
Recall that on April 6th spokesperson of pan-Yoruba group, Yinka Odumakin, had announced that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigerian Police had arrested some suspects over the murder of the woman.
On July 12, 2019, Mrs Olakunrin was murdered between Kajola and Ore along the Ondo-Ore road in Ondo State. Immediately after the incident was reported, the Inspector General deployed the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), CP Fimihan Adeoye, to coordinate the team of 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 to carry out manhunt for the killers with the aim of arresting and bringing them to justice.
Mba in his statement said after months of efforts to apprehend the suspected killers, the police team, on March 4th during an investigation arrested one Auwal Abubakar, an accessory in the murder. The arrest of Auwal Abubakar led to the arrest of two 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.
The statement in part reads
“The suspects capitulated and voluntarily offered a no-holds-barred confession on how Mrs Funke Olakunrin was killed.
“Investigations so far revealed that the operation that led to the killing was carried out by eight fully-armed kidnap/robbery suspects led by one Tambaya (other name unknown) who is currently at large.
“While four of the suspects are in custody, effort is being intensified to arrest the four in custody, effort is being intensified to arrest the four others still on the run. The eight-man gang has their operational base and membership spread in the southwestern part of the country and Edo State.
“Investigations also revealed that they were responsible for series of high-profile armed robbery and kidnap operations in the region. They also attacked, vandalised and stole components of critical national infrastructure such as electrical and
telecommunications installations.
“Consequently, the Inspector General of Police has declared the principal suspect, Tambaya (other names unknown) wanted for his involvement in the death of Mrs Funke Olakunrin. 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.’
