Operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team have arrested two self-confessed cultists in connection with the murder of Oriade Adebisi, 22, and his girlfriend, Julian Eke Imaga, 18, both students of Olabisi Onobanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State.
The decomposing bodies of the two were discovered after they had been missing for some days.
The murder of both students stunned the university, especially since their alleged killers are giving myriad of reasons considered stupid for murders.
The suspects are Muritala Babatunde and Taiwo Rasak.
A police source said: “The cult members’ motive for killing the couple is yet to be ascertained, but the gang leader maintained that he is a cult member and that Adebisi used to give his rival cult faction money because he was a yahoo boy and had money. He said that Adebisi refused to recognize him as the number one of Aiye confraternity.”
It was also gathered that IRT launched investigation into the disappearance of both students following information received on June 3, from Oriade Adeola Rafiu of 1, Queen Oriade Crescent, Oju-Ore, Otta, Ogun State.
The IRT Operatives were told that on May 28, Adebisi was driving his Honda Cross Tour car with registration number FST 350 FA with Imaga at Oru-Ijebu after paying his friend, Akogun, a visit, when they were both abducted.
The police source said: “He was driving towards Oru junction when three armed men emerged on a motorcycle and whisked him and his girlfriend with their car to unknown destination.”
Our correspondent further gathered that immediately the IRT operatives, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari, received the information, the collaborated with the Oyo State Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad and Ogun State Police Command to swiftly launch an investigation.
The investigation led to police narrowing its search to the two suspects and later swooped on Muritala Babatunde and Taiwo Rasak.
An iPhone X, with Etisalat SIM card and two pairs of canvas shoes, belonging to Adebisi were recovered from Babatunde.
It was also heard that while fielding questions from operatives, Babatunde, 29, from Oru Ijebu in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, a university drop out, confessed that while in the university at Ago Iwoye, he was initiated into the Black Axe confraternity, popularly known as Aiye.
He reportedly said: “I’m currently the number one Aiye in Ijebu-North axis.”
Police recovered two locally made pistols, which he and his gang members normally use for their operations.
The police added: “On May 28, Babatunde noticed Adebisi’s movement along Oru-Ijebu junction. He had been nursing criminal intents against Adebisi. He quickly called his gang members, Rasak Taiwo aka IKU and Sodiq. He said that Adebisi and his girlfriend were kidnapped in his car and taken to the bush along Ijebu-ode Awa/Ibadan expressway where both of them were killed. He confessed further that before Adebisi was killed, he ordered him to deactivate his password on his iPhone. He took the iPhone and two pairs of shoes from him and thereafter abandoned the car at the expressway having dumped their bodies in a bush at the back of an uncompleted building where they were murdered.”
Babatunde’s partner in crime, Taiwo Rasak, 18, is from Imota in Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State.
He confessed that he was initiated into AIYE confraternity in 2015.
He further stated that he went to stay with Babatunde at Oru-Ijebu, who is the number one in their confraternity.
He explained that on May 28, in the late hour of the night, Babatunde called him and Sodiq to meet him at Oru junction.
On their arrival, Babatunde told them that he wanted to kill Adebisi who had parted with his money.
He confessed that Babatunde then called his girlfriend, Seun Yetunde, who had been in charge of monitoring Adebisi’s movement.
Yetunde also later brought a bag that contained two guns and a cutlass.
Babatunde gave Rasak one of the guns, took one and handed the cutlass to Sodiq.
They then waited patiently for Adebisi and Imaga to emerge.
Rasak reportedly said: “A few minutes later, Adebisi and his girlfriend arrived in their car.
“Suddenly, we ‘based’ him down with guns.
“Muritala took over the steering having ordered Adebisi and his girlfriend to the backseat.
“Sodiq and I were also at the back seat with them.
“Babatunde drove off the junction.
“We took them to the bush along the expressway and killed them with planks and gun.” The decomposing corpses of the students were recovered on June 19 and deposited at the Ijebu-Ode General Hospital’s morgue for autopsy.
Adebisi’s car had also been recovered and now parked at Awa Division in Ogun State.
The IRT operatives have intensified efforts to track other members of the cult group involved in the murder of Adebisi and Imaga.