The Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has confirmed that the suspected killers of Adeniyi Sanni, an aide to the lawmaker representing Ogun West, Senator Solomon Adeola, wore military camouflage vest, military jungle hat and military holster but were fake soldiers.
SaharaReporters had on Monday, 11 September, 2023 reported that the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Idowu Owohunwa, gave the names of the suspects as one Fred Azeez Okunnu, 43; Lucky Idudu Micheal, 33 and Adedigba Segun, 26, while parading them at the headquarters, Ikeja.
It had been reported in August that Senator Adeola alleged that soldiers of the Nigerian Army were responsible for the death of his aide, Adeniyi Sanni.
The Senator had made this known in a statement signed by his media aide, Kayode Odunaro.
Senator Adeola had stated that information available to him on the circumstances indicated that Sanni was stopped at a checkpoint around the Ojodu-Berger Area of Lagos on his way to his home at Isheri by “security agents.”
He had said, “I am of the firm belief, based on available facts at the disposal of the Police, that my aide was killed by a syndicate of soldiers operating under the newly deployed Commander of 9 Brigade, Ikeja Cantonment of the Nigeria Army, Brigadier General Adegoke Adetuyi, through the mounting of checkpoints and robbing of lone occupants of cars.”
The lawmaker had called on the Chief of Army Staff, Maj Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, to direct the fishing out of the killers of his aide for further investigation, prosecution, and justice for the deceased.
But speaking, the Lagos State CP said the arrest of the fake soldiers followed weeks of investigation.
“Items recovered from the suspects are one Brownie pistol with 3 rounds of live ammunition, one Beretta pistol with 3 rounds of live ammunition, one locally made cut-to-size pistol with 6 live cartridges, six expended cartridges, military gear (military camouflage vest, military jungle hat, military holster, jungle boots), and one Red Honda CRV with reg no EKY 276 JD, also hijacked from a yet-to-be-identified victim,” he said.
Meanwhile, the suspects stated that the victim was killed for raising the alarm while fleeing from the scene of the robbery.
Observers believed that Senator Adeola needs to apologize to the Army, particularly newly deployed Commandant of 9 Brigade of the Ikeja Military Cantonment, Brigadier General Adegoke Adetuyi.
