A 38-year-old Peter Samuel confessed to the murder of an Okada rider, Rafiu Akao, in Oke-Oyi town, located in the Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The crime took place on November 4, 2024, in the Asunlere area of the town.
During an interview with journalists after being paraded alongside four other accomplices by state police commissioner Victor Olaiya, Samuel stated, “I used a cutlass to sever the head of the Okada rider” while attempting to steal the recently purchased motorcycle belonging to the victim.
He mentioned that he was enticed into the crime by an individual named ‘Oga,’ who promised that it would lead to significant financial gain.
The other suspects arrested in connection with the murder include 26-year-old Jeremiah Tiozinda, 40-year-old Sunday Agbenke, 22-year-old Yusuf Abdulkareem, and 40-year-old Jaiyeola Fatai.
Law enforcement recovered several items at the scene, including an Itel Android phone and a motorcycle.
In light of the tragic incident, the police commissioner shared that on November 4, 2024, at approximately 9:09 PM, local residents from the Asunlere community reported the discovery of a headless body near a stream.
Three individuals, namely Abdulrasheed Ola Sheu and Ismail Muhammed, approached the Oke-Oyi Police Division to report their findings.
Upon receiving the report, detectives were immediately dispatched to the location. Photographs taken at the scene showed clear signs of violence around the neck, confirming that the head had been severed.
The body was later transported to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital morgue, pending an autopsy.
At the crime scene, detectives found an Itel Android phone suspected to belong to one of the assailants, as well as a motorcycle believed to be owned by the deceased. The victim’s own phone was also discovered on the body.
Detectives worked diligently to identify and apprehend those responsible, leading to the arrest of two suspects, Peter Samuel and Jeremiah Tiozinda, as well as Sunday Agbenke in the early hours of November 6, 2024. Both Samuel and Tiozinda confessed to their involvement in the crime.
The Android phone recovered was confirmed to belong to Samuel, who was attempting to flee the state. During interrogations, the suspects disclosed that they had disposed of the victim’s severed head in a nearby river.
The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a comprehensive investigation, and further updates will be provided as the inquiry progresses. The suspects are expected to be arraigned in court.
