Babalola Dolapo Daniel, who betrayed and murdered his childhood friend, Evangelist Opeyemi Oyelakin in Eke-Igbo on March 15, 2024 has confessed to killing of another four persons.
The suspect, who had after his arrest denied killing anyone before his childhood friend, confessed that he killed four other victims who he snatched their motorbikes.
Paraded with other crime suspects by Ondo State Police Command, Babalola owned up when other suspects connected with the murder and snatching of motorbike of the Evangelist were arrested.
Addressing newsmen during the parade, the state Police Commissioner, Abayomi Oladipo disclosed that after Babalola had led police detectives to the shallow grave he buried Opeyemi, during interrogation, it was realised that Babalola was a member of syndicate dealing in killing motorbike owners and snatching their bikes which they subsequently sell to unsuspected buyers.
Babalola and Sikiru Mutiu, his accomplice in the killing of Evangelist Opeyemi, are on the field searching for motorbikes to steal before taking same to Ibadan, Oyo State, where the receivers, Abiola Olatunji Toheeb and Ayegbajeje Micheal, reside.
Also one Oyediran Waheed Olaitan, who is in charge of preparing documents for the motorbikes snatched before they are sold, was also arrested in Ibadan.
According to the Police Commissioner, “Further investigation revealed that the suspect had killed four persons in various locations and stole their motorcycles.
“In April, 2023, he killed a motorcyclist in Kabba, Kogi State, another in Ife along Ilesha Road in Osun State, removed some part from the corpse for rituals.
“In June, 2023, he killed another motorcyclist at Ondo town and dumped the corpse on a farm at Oboto bush along Bolorunduro Road, Ondo town.
“In October, 2023, the suspect and one Sikiru Mutiu aka S.K deceived his childhood friend by name Joel Olagoke to take them with his motorcycle to a location where he was killed, his body dismembered and handed to herbalists, Mujeeb Lawal and Shina Ojo (both in police custody), for rituals.
“The motorcycle collected from Joel Olagoke was later recovered in Ibadan Oyo State from one Olayinka Abiola.
The duo of Abiola Olatunji Toheeb and Ayegbajeje Micheal, who are receivers of stolen items and one Oyediran Waheed Olaitan who helps in the production of fake documents to aid the selling of the stolen motorcycles have been arrested.
“Seven (7) motorcycles have been retrieved from the receivers while one suspect is still at large.”
It would be recalled that when Babalola was arrested, he initially denied ever killing anyone before his childhood friend who he ran into on March 14, 2024 in Ondo City after several years.
On the following day, he told his friend to convey him and his accomplice, Sikiru, to their farm at Oke-Igbo in Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo Local Government Area of the state.
On getting to a spot, they asked Opeyemi to stop and alighting from the motorbike, Babalola and his accomplice, Sikiru hit Opeyemi on the head with a big stick and stone.
He died on the spot and they buried him in a shallow grave and fled on his motorbike.
•INDEPENDENTNG.