Killers of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, Daughter of Afenifere Leader, Nabbed – Police Force Hqrs Says
… IGP declares gang leader, Tambaya, wanted
BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – The Nigeria Police High Command on Thursday announced that its Operatives have arrested the killers of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, daughter of the leader of the PAN-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasorantin.
This was confirmed in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba in a statement made available to Forefront News.
The formal announcement by the Police Force headquarters, has put to rest, the denial of the arrest of the killers of Mrs Olakunrin by the Ondo State Police Command when the spokesman of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin made it public last week.
DCP Mba listed the four arrested killers as Lawal Mazaje ‘m’ 40yrs from Felele area of Kogi State, Adamu Adamu ‘m’ 50yrs from Jada area of Adamawa State, Mohammed Shehu Usman ‘m’ 26 years from Illela area of Sokoto State and Auwal Abubakar ‘m’ 25yrs from Shinkafi area of Zamfara State
Mba recalled that following the attack and murder of Mrs Funke Olakunrin by unknown persons between Kajola and Ore along Ondo-Ore road in Ondo State on July 12, 2019, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, on July 13, 2019, deployed the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), CP Fimihan Adeoye, to coordinate the team of Police Special Forces and seasoned investigators from the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID), Federal SARS, Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU) from the Force Headquarters, Abuja to carry out massive manhunt for the killers with the aim of arresting and bringing them to justice.
The Force spokesman said that after months of relentless efforts to apprehend the killers, the Police Team, on March 4, 2020 during a follow-up action on a case of a high-profile armed robbery and kidnap for ransom that occurred in Ogun State, arrested one Auwal Abubakar ‘m’ 25yrs, an accessory after the fact of the crime, along Sagamu-Ore expressway in Ondo State. Mba explained that the arrest of Auwal Abubakar led to the arrest of two other members of the gang, Mohammed Shehu Usman and Lawal Mazaje in Benin, Edo State from whom cache of ammunition was recovered and one other Adamu Adamu in Akure, Ondo State.
According to Mba; “Having established sufficient physical and forensic evidence linking the suspects to the killing of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, the investigators, determined to clear all doubts relating to their findings, on 8th April, 2020, conducted an Identification Parade at the Federal SARS Headquarters, Lagos which led to the positive and physical identification of three (3) suspects, Adamu Adamu, Lawal Mazaje and Mohammed Shehu Usman by a survivor of the earlier crime.
“The survivor gave a clear description of the roles each of the identified suspects played in the killing. At this point, the suspects capitulated and voluntarily offered a no-holds-barred confession on how Mrs Funke Olakunrin was killed,” he said.
Mba also said that investigations so far reveal that the operation that led to the killing was carried out by eight fully armed kidnap/robbery suspects led by one Tambaya (other name unknown), who is currently at large.
The police said that while four of the suspects (mentioned above) are in custody, effort is being intensified to arrest the four (4) others still on the run.
Mba further said; “The 8-man gang has their operational base and membership spread in the South-western part of the country and Edo State. Investigations have also revealed that they are responsible for series of high-profile armed robbery and kidnap operations in the region.
“They also attack, vandalize and steal components of critical national infrastructures such as electrical and telecommunications installations.”
Following the arrests of four of the killers, the Inspector General of Police has therefore declared the principal suspect, Tambaya (other names unknown) wanted for his involvement in the death of Mrs Funke Olakunrin.
Mba said; “Tambaya, a Nigerian, speaks Hausa, Fulfulde and Pidgin English languages. He is fair in complexion and in his late 20s – between the age of 27 and 30. His last known address is Isanlu, Kogi State. He has visible scar from stitches on his forehead down to his nose and mouth.”
Meanwhile, IGP Adamu has expressed appreciation to Nigerians for the patience and support to the Police throughout the period of the investigations into the unfortunate incident. Adamu assured that the suspects will be diligently prosecuted on completion of investigations, stressing that the Force will not relent until every member of the gang, still at large, is arrested and brought to book.
