The suspected killers of Newswatch Deputy Editor, Toyin Obadina, have confessed that they shot and killed the late journalist because he was stubborn and refused to cooperate with them.
Four men, who were among a gang of six, that killed Obadina were presented to journalists on Tuesday at the Police Command, Ikeja, Lagos by the state Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti.
The suspects were identified as Adeshina Festus, 21; Babatunde Samuel, 25;Sunday Samuel, 22; and Ibrahim Adeokin, 22.
Festus said the killing of the deceased was not pre-planned.
Festus said that the road was bad and had several potholes.
He said that they knew Obadina would slow down when he reached one of the potholes, close to where they were hiding.
He said: “We knew that when he got to the spot, he would definitely slow down.
“Before he got to the pothole, we had blocked him with our Siena bus.
“Two of our leaders, Oke and Benjamin, jumped out of the car and rushed towards him.
“I was inside the vehicle when I saw the late Editor and our leaders arguing over an issue.
“Before we knew what was happening, he had been shot by Oke.”
Festus recalled that immediately after Obadina was shot, they quickly left the area and ran to their hideout.
When the gang members verbally attacked Oke for killing the deceased, he threatened to kill them too.
Festus said the principle of the gang was to rob, snatch cars, but never to kill.
According to Aderanti, on October 17, 2014, the robbers were arrested at their hideout at Mile 12 area of the state, while they were planning to go for another robbery operation.
The police boss said that the police were able to arrest the suspect based on information received by the command.
He said: “A crack team detectives, led by the Officer-in-Charge of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad, SP. Abba Kyarri, bursted the criminals at their hideout at Ajelogo area of Mile 12.
“During investigation, the robbers confessed to have snatched a Toyota Yaris salon car marked AKD 701 CE, belonging to the late Toyin Obadina at Fibre area of Ikorodu on 1, February 2014.
“The gang had earlier stolen a Nissan Xterra Jeep with registration No 780 BJ from one Segun Afolabi, along the route and used it to block the late journalist and dispossessed him of his valuables, before he was later shot to death by the leader of the gang simply identified as Oke.”Another gang member, Makinde, said frustration forced him into robbery after officials of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority seized his commercial bus.
Recalling how Oke killed Obadina, Makinde said: “Immediately Oke killed the man, I tried to caution him.
“I reminded him of our rules of no killing.
“When I was arguing with him, he said that the man was too stubborn and which was why he killed him.”
Items recovered from the suspects are two locally made single barrel cut to size short guns, 12 rounds of live cartridges, one Nissan Xtera Jeep and one Toyota Yaris car.