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As Suspected Thug Contradicts Initial Claim
- Safiu Kehinde
The Osun State Police Command has paraded notorious thug, Saheed Kareem Tanfeani, and 23 other suspects arrested over the murder of 14-year-old Ezekiel Olapade and other cult-related killings across the state.
NPO Reported that Olapade was shot dead last month by the suspected thugs who stormed the Irepodun Local Government Area (LGA) headquarters in Ilobu.
The suspects were alleged to have carried out the deadly attack with a campaign bus of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Following the incident, members of the community, including the father of the deceased teenager, identified the gang leader as Tanfeani.
This led to calls for the arrest of the notorious thug who, in a disclaimer video, denied involvement in the attack and murder of Olapade.
Sequel to his eventual arrest alongside others last week, the police on Wednesday paraded the Tanfeani and the other suspects before newsmen at the Osun Police Command headquarters in Osogbo.
Addressing newsmen, the state’s police commissioner, Ibrahim Gotan, admitted to the recent killings and act of thuggery across the state.
He however held that the intensified effort by the police personnel led to the arrest of the suspects.
“The command is fully aware of the recent cult-related killings and act of thuggery threatening the peace of the state.
“Through intensified operations, the command has arrested several suspects linked to the crimes.” Gotan said.
While being interrogated by newsmen, Tanfeani reiterated his stance of the killing of Olapade as he denied involvement in the teenager’s murder.
However, the suspected thug contradicted his initial claim of not been present at the local government when the incident occurred.
Tanfeani had in his disclaimer video released days after the attack claimed to be in Osogbo when the incident occurred.
He would however admit been present at the council during the attack.
Tanfeani claimed to have seized one of the guns used in carrying out the attack and handed it over to an Accord Party leader who came to the council with them.
“I was alleged of murder, but I didn’t know anything about it.
“On that Friday, I came for my duty as the Executive Assistant to the Chairman of Irepodun Local Government.
“When I got to the local government that Friday, there were political disagreement. That is how we started fighting.
“I went to one of the thugs to seize his gun. We started dragging the gun between ourselves.”He said.