A 39-year-old man, Dolapo Babalola, has been arrested by the Ondo State Police Command for allegedly killing his childhood friend, Evangelist Opeyemi Oyelakin, in Ondo town.

Babalola was also alleged to have stolen the deceased’s motorcycle.

Confirming the incident on Sunday, March 31, 2024, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, said Babalola was arrested following the complaint received on March 25 that a motorcycle was stolen and the rider was nowhere to be found.

Odunlami-Omisanya noted that police operatives, after receiving the report, swung into action and arrested the suspect on the same date.

She said during interrogations, the suspect confessed that Oyelakin was his childhood friend and they had not seen for a long time until March 14, 2024.

The police spokesperson stated that the suspect and one Sikiru Mutiu, fondly called S.K., still at large, on March 15, deceived Oyelakin to carry them on his motorcycle to their farm in the Oke-Igbo area of Ondo State.

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Odunlami-Omisanya added: “As soon as they dropped, Mutiu gripped Oyelakin from behind while the suspect used a stick and stone to hit him on his head and the victim died.

“The corpse was dragged to a shallow pit, and they covered it with leaves before his motorcycle was stolen.”

Odunlami-Omisanya, who said the suspect took police officers to the scene of the crime, said the corpse together with the stick and stone used in carrying out the crime were recovered.

The police spokesperson quoted the suspect as saying that he has a large syndicate and has been in the business of snatching motorcycles since 2021.

She said: “Since 2021, the suspect has snatched an uncountable number of motorcycles and he normally uses sticks and stones on his victims while his operational zones are Ondo town, Akure, Ekiti, Ilesha, and Ife town.

“Meanwhile, the command is intensifying efforts to get everyone connected to the crime arrested and prosecuted accordingly.”

Odunlami-Omisanya, therefore, warned members of the public, particularly motorcycle riders to be mindful of the people they carry and the terrains they enter with their motorcycles.

The Star