Metro
Soldiers Torture, Force Man to Eat Vomit, Abandon Corpse in Osun
The family of a car dealer, Adeyinka Adekunle, have called on the Osun State Police Command and the military authorities to bring his killers to book after he was tortured to death by soldiers at the Nigerian Army Barracks, Ibodi, Osun State.
The victim’s father, 79-year-old Pa David Adekunle, lamented that none of the officers involved in the killing had been brought to book since the incident happened.
The torture was allegedly carried out on the orders of one Lt. Tobi Akindapo.
According to Punch Metro, Adeyinka and a friend, Solomon Ogundare, went to a beer parlour at Imo, Ilesa, on Thursday, March 24.
While the duo were drinking, they were approached by three men who solicited drinks from them.
Adeyinka and his friend, however, refused, saying they did not have money to buy extra drinks.
Our correspondents learnt that the men, who were soldiers, were not in uniform.
The youngest among them, said to be in his 20s, later queried Ogundare for slacking his trousers.
Adeyinka, 37, was said to have rebuffed him, questioning his authority to correct his friend’s dressing.
The matter was said to have led to exchange of words between the two groups.
As the altercation degenerated, one of the three men made a call to the barracks and soldiers stormed the scene.
However, while Adeyinka escaped from the area, his friend was caught and taken to the barracks, where he was tortured and locked up in a cell.
A Lexus 250 car belonging to Adeyinka which he drove to the beer parlour was reportedly vandalised and towed to the barracks.
Ogundare’s sister, Elizabeth Itunu, said she spoke to the soldiers during a visit to the barracks and they demanded N500,000 for the release of the car.
She said, “The soldiers said we would have to pay the money they used to tow the vehicle. I called Adeyinka and told him their demand. He thought the soldiers would not recognise him because the fracas happened at night.
“As we were both begging the soldiers, one of them identified him and that was how they seized him and started beating him in my presence. My brother was also tortured as well.
“So, I told the soldiers that now that you have beaten them, can you allow us take them for treatment? They did not listen. Instead, the young soldier who started the fight the previous night said he had not beaten them and he would start his own the following day.
“After much begging, they agreed to take N200,000 from us. I asked Adeyinka how much he had, and he said N40,000.
“We gathered N140,000 and I begged the soldiers to take the money and release them to us that night, and when we completed the payment, they could release the car; but they refused.”
Itunnu said she and a few other friends returned home without either Adeyinka or Ogundare, who were locked up in the guardroom.
The following day, she returned to the barracks and met the two men cutting grass as the soldiers whipped and kicked them.
“I observed that Adeyinka was very weak. He suddenly fell. They thought he was pretending and they started hitting him. When they saw that he was not moving, they checked his body and their boss said he should be rushed to a hospital,” she added.
Itunnu explained that her brother was put in the army truck, saying she later heard that the car dealer died before he got to a hospital.
“At that point, I became afraid as I saw that my brother was not breathing well. Their commander asked us to take my brother to a hospital as well.
“My brother told me that while he and Adeyinka were in the guardroom, he (Adeyinka) vomited. The soldiers then ordered him to start eating the vomit,” she stated.
The deceased’s father, Pa David, said he was informed that his son was taken to a police station when he visited the barracks.
“I went to the Ayeso Police Division and the police said they did not see any soldier. One of the policemen said I should go to Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa. On getting to the hospital, I was referred to the mortuary.
“At the mortuary, they said soldiers brought a corpse, but they rejected it and demanded to see a police report. They said they were forced to take the body. They brought out the body and it turned out to be my son,” he added.
The septuagenarian said he later reported the case at the police headquarters, Osogbo.
PUNCH Metro also learnt that the family had written a petition to the police and the army, demanding the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the murder.
“My son was buying and selling vehicles. He was my last child and my only son. He and his wife just had their first child, who is just two months old. I insist that the soldier that killed my son should be handed over to the police to face prosecution,” he added.
Akindapo could not be reached on his mobile phone, as he had yet to respond to text messages from our correspondents as of the time of filing this report.
The Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed that a soldier approached the Ayeso division, seeking assistance to enable him to deposit a corpse in the morgue.
She said, “But the police did not give him any operative to accompany him. The DPO only called the morgue and spoke to people there. That was the only police involvement.”
The spokesperson for 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Major Ikedichi Iweha, said investigation had commenced into the incident.
He said, “Our official position is that investigation has already commenced and appropriate action would be taken after the investigation.”
The Punch
Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Chairman, Adron Group, Aare Adetola Olaniyi Emmanuel-King, as he celebrates his 50th birthday.
The President, according to a statement by his Special Adviser, Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, “joins family, friends, and well-wishers to celebrate the entrepreneur and philanthropist who has remained steadfast in making affordable housing accessible to many Nigerians.
“Aare Emmanuel-King, with over 62 estates and a workforce of 3,000, has received numerous chieftaincy titles and awards in property and estate development, including Lagos State Man of the Year (2019) and Property Developer of the Year (2021).
“President Tinubu commends the real estate developer for his contributions to the government’s vision of reducing the nation’s housing deficit.
“The President wishes Aare Emmanuel-King joyful celebrations and continued success in his endeavours.”
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Tuesday, received a rousing welcome from her supporters and residents of the Ihima community of Kogi State, despite the government’s ban on rallies and processions.
As early as 8am, her supporters from the five local government areas of Kogi Central Senatorial District that Akpoti-Uduaghan represents flooded the Ihima community of Okehi Local Government Area (LGA) to welcome the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker.
Several local musicians took turns entertaining the people who attended the celebration while they awaited the arrival of the female lawmaker.
It did not, however, take long before the embattled senator arrived at the place in a white helicopter, eliciting applause from her teeming, jubilant supporters.
“Yesterday, we heard on the news that rallies and gatherings will not be allowed, that roads will be blocked, and convoys leading into the state will not be allowed. I knew that we were the targets. But then I said, this is not political season, this is not campaign time,” the lawmaker told her supporters and constituents.
“We are not having a rally. This is just me, the Senator representing Kogi Central, coming down to her people to celebrate this festive time – the Sallah with you, and there is nothing wrong with that. I am breaking no law. This is Nigeria. We have the right to be free, to express our choice in gatherings and celebrations.”
Her return comes hours after the Kogi State Government banned public gatherings and processions, citing security threats.
This was followed by the imposition of a curfew in the area by the Okehi Local Government Area chairman, Amoka Monday, and a warning from the police for her to cancel the event.
Despite the warnings, the lawmaker told the crowd of supporters that no one can stop her from coming home.
“Nobody and nothing can stop me from coming home. I’m an Ebira woman; this is my land. I’m the daughter of the late Jimoh Abdul Akpoti. I know my roots; I’m not a bastard, and I’m not afraid of anybody,” the PDP senator said.
Operatives of the Zone 2 Command Headquarters, Onikan Lagos under the leadership of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Adegoke M. Fayoade, have arrested a suspected cult member and members of a human trafficking syndicate.
A statement by the Zonal Public Relations Officer, CSP Ayuba Ummah, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), stated that intelligence at the disposal of the AIG about the criminal activities, hideout and plans of suspected members of EIYE FRATERNITY terrorizing Ijebu-Ife axis of Ogun State led to the deployment of the Officer-in-charge of Zonal Dragon Squad II (ZDS-II) led by DSP Akeem Adeyemi and team for a discrete operation.
While noting that investigation is on-going and suspects will be charged to court upon completion of investigation, the statement detailed the situation and the process of arrest as follows:
“On 19/03/2025, the hideout of the said cult group was raided while planning an attack where one Orekoya Abayomi ‘m’ aged 54yrs was arrested as others escaped through nearby bush. He led the team to his residence where the following items were recovered:
1. One (1) locally made Single Barrel Pistol,
2. Six (6) Live Cartridges,
3. Twenty-One (21) Voter’s Cards with different names (suspected to be fake) and
4. One (1) Emerald Pump Action Gun with Breach No. 1335.
“Subsequently, a syndicate of human traffickers led by one Stella Edem operating in Ipaja/Ayobo area of Lagos State was bursted on the 22/3/2025, by Operatives of Zonal Intelligence Response Squad (ZIRS) led by SP Francis Kpoughul as they stormed their base at Command Meran Area of Lagos, where one Stella Edem ‘f’ and Susan Michael ‘f’ were arrested.
“Stella Edem ‘f’ confessed to the crime adding that she was introduced to one Anabel ‘f’ who is based in Mauritania by Rosemary Isaiah Otobong ‘f’ who has been prosecuted for the same offense and is currently serving jail term in the Nigeria Correctional Facility. She added that Anabel contracted her to recruit young girls below the age of 22yrs to be used as sex workers in Mauritania and that she is being paid *Fifty Thousand Naira (₦50,000.00k) as commission on each young girl sent to Mauritania. She confessed that among other girls she recruited is her 19 year old daughter citing that she has so far recieved over a total of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (₦500,000.00k) from Anabel.
“Her accomplice Susan Michael ‘f’ confessed to have being contracted by Stella Edem to recruit young girls to serve as domestic staff in Mauritania but upon questioning and further inquiries she discovered the girls were to be used as sex workers hence she withdrew from the said bussiness adding that the only girl she sent to Stella Edem was rejected due to age and body size and it was at that point she felt something wasn’t right.”
