Headlines
Police Nab Four Suspected Killers of Fasoranti’s Daughter, Hunt Others
The police said on Thursday that they had arrested the killers of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, the daughter of the leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti.
The suspects are Lawal Mazaje, 40, from the Felele area of Kogi State; Adamu Adamu, 50, from Jada, Adamawa State; Mohammed Usman, 26, from Illela, Sokoto State; and Auwal Abubakar, 25, an indigene of Shinkafi, Zamfara State
The police said investigation revealed that the killing was carried out by eight fully armed suspected robbers led by one Tambaya (other names unknown), who is currently at large.
The force explained that efforts were being intensified to arrest the four other suspects currently on the run.
This is coming nine months after Olakunrin was attacked between Kajola and Ore on the Ondo-Ore Road in Ondo State on July 13, 2019, while travelling in a black Toyota Highlander SUV.
Other vehicles were also ambushed and several persons, including Olakunrin’s driver, were kidnapped, but were later rescued.
Her murder stoked tension in the South-West and subsequently hastened the establishment of a regional security outfit codenamed, Amotekun, by governors in the region.
The Afenifere spokesperson, Yinka Odumakin, had on April 7, 2020, said in a statement that four suspects had been arrested in connection with the murder.
However, his assertion was refuted by the Ondo State Police Command, which claimed that it was not aware of the development.
Confirming the arrest of the suspects in a statement on Thursday, the Force spokesman, Frank Mba, recalled that the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had in the aftermath of the incident directed the Commissioner of Police, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Fimihan Adeoye, to coordinate the team of police special forces and seasoned investigators from the Force Criminal Investigation Department, the Intelligence Response Team and the Technical Intelligence Unit to investigate the murder.
Mba stated that after months of relentless efforts, the police team, on March 4, 2020, during a follow-up action on a high-profile armed robbery and kidnap for ransom case that occurred in Ogun State, arrested Abubakar, an accessory after the fact of the crime, along the Sagamu-Ore Expressway in Ondo State.
The statement said, “The arrest of Abubakar led to the arrest of two other members of the gang, Mohammed Usman and Lawal Mazaje, in Benin, Edo State, from whom a cache of ammunition was recovered, and one other, Adamu Adamu, in Akure, Ondo State.
“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 April 8, 2020, conducted an identification parade at the Federal SARS headquarters, Lagos, which led to the positive and physical identification of Adamu, Mazaje and Usman by a survivor of the earlier crime.”
The police said 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 Olakunrin was killed,” the force stated.
It added that the eight-man gang had their operational base and membership spread in the south-western part of the country and Edo State, noting that it was responsible for a series of high-profile armed robbery and kidnap operations in the region.
The statement said the gang also attacked, vandalised and stole components of critical national infrastructure such as electrical and telecommunications installations.
Meanwhile, the IG has declared the principal suspect, Tambaya, wanted for his role in the killing of Olakunrin.
“Tambaya, a Nigerian, speaks Hausa, Fulfulde and pidgin English languages. He is fair in complexion and in his late 20s, between the ages of 27 and 30. His last known address is Isanlu, Kogi State. He has a visible scar from stitches on his forehead down to his nose and mouth,” the police said.
The Punch
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has lambasted the administration of President Bola Tinubu over insecurity bedeviling the country.
In an interview with News Central, Obasanjo said any government that cannot protect lives and property of its citizens has no basis to exist.
The former leader was reacting to the recent wave of insecurity, which has confronted Nigeria, resulting in the killing of several citizens and abduction of others.
“Let me tell you, the government that cannot give security of life and property of its citizen has no right of existence.
“The elected members of our National Assembly have no right to fix their own salary and their own emolument.
“It’s not in our constitution for them to do that. It’s the revenue mobilization and allocation commission that should do it,” he said.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has offered its presidential ticket to Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 elections, signaling intensifying efforts to forge a united opposition as key political deadlines approach.
In a post on X on Sunday, the party indicated a two-week window for both politicians, currently linked to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to defect and secure its platform’s presidential ticket.
“All we need right now. Just all we need. Two weeks to deadline,” the NDC said, accompanying the message with an image of Obi and Kwankwaso and the caption: “Nigeria will be OK.”
The development comes amid renewed calls for opposition consolidation ahead of the next general elections. Supporters of both men recently launched the “OK Movement”, aimed at mobilising support for a possible joint ticket.
Organisers of the movement have begun setting up national, zonal and State structures, suggesting early groundwork for a broader political alliance.
However, the ADC is currently grappling with internal divisions that could affect its participation in the elections. The party is facing a leadership crisis, with competing factions contesting control of its structure.
The dispute is now before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which has reserved judgment in an appeal arising from the leadership tussle.
The uncertainty comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) maintains its timetable for the 2027 polls, setting May 30, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to submit membership registers and nominate candidates.
Opposition parties, including factions of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), have called for an extension of the timeline, arguing that the schedule is too tight given ongoing internal restructuring and legal disputes.
The NDC’s offer highlights the shifting dynamics within Nigeria’s opposition landscape, where alliances remain fluid and negotiations are ongoing.
Both Obi and Kwankwaso are influential political figures with significant regional support bases, and any alignment between them could reshape the balance of power ahead of the elections.
INEC has yet to indicate whether it will adjust its timetable, as preparations for the 2027 general elections continue to gather momentum.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed concern over reports that the Senate is considering the suspension of political campaigns in eight Northern states under the pretext of rising insecurity.
Atiku, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, described the development as deeply troubling and fraught with dangerous implications for Nigeria’s democracy.
He noted that while insecurity remains a serious national challenge that must be confronted decisively, it must never become a convenient justification for undermining constitutional rights or selectively restricting democratic participation.
“Let it be clearly stated: the right to vote and participate in the electoral process is fundamental and cannot be abridged under any guise. Any attempt—whether deliberate or disguised—to suppress political activities in parts of Northern Nigeria raises legitimate concerns about disenfranchisement,” Atiku said.
The Waziri Adamawa recalled that credible intelligence had earlier pointed to possible plans to weaken electoral participation in key Northern states, warning that recent developments appear to be lending credence to those fears.
“This is not merely about campaigns; it is about representation, inclusion, and the integrity of our democratic process. You cannot cure insecurity by silencing the voices of the people. Democracy must not become a casualty of government failure,” he added.
The former Vice President stressed that the people of Northern Nigeria, like all Nigerians, deserve both security and full participation in the democratic process — not one at the expense of the other.
He added that it is the responsibility of government to provide security for its citizens, while it remains the duty of citizens to freely exercise their civic rights without fear, intimidation, or unlawful restriction.
“At a time when citizens are already battling hardship and insecurity, the least the government can do is to guarantee their right to be heard — not to restrict it. Any policy that creates the impression of targeted exclusion will only deepen distrust and national division,” he warned.
He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, and the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately clarify their position and reassure Nigerians that no region will be denied its constitutional rights.
“Nigeria must never descend into a situation where elections are shaped by exclusion, fear, or administrative manipulation. The consequences of such actions are far-reaching and better imagined than experienced,” Atiku cautioned.
He urged all stakeholders to uphold the principles of fairness, equity, and national unity, emphasising that democracy must remain inclusive, transparent, and credible across every part of the country.
