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We Killed Ogun Broadcaster Just to Teach Her a Lesson, Three Suspects Confess

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The Ogun State Police Command has arrested three suspects in connection with the killing of former Ogun State Television (OGTV) broadcaster, Olakitan Oyesiku, and her security guard, Pelumi Adetayo.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Bode Ojajuni, announced the arrests on Thursday while addressing journalists at the command headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.

Ojajuni said investigators uncovered the suspects through intelligence-driven operations, technical tracking and forensic investigations launched after the double murder.

Oyesiku and Adetayo were discovered dead at the retired broadcaster’s home in the Owode-Egba area of Ogun State on June 21. Her Lexus RX 330 was also missing from the residence.

The police commissioner said officers at the Owode-Egba Police Station received a report around 4pm on June 21 over unusual developments at the deceased’s residence.

“Preliminary information indicated that the front door of the residence had been partially damaged while the security house within the compound was found locked, prompting immediate police intervention,” Ojajuni said.

He said detectives who arrived at the scene found Adetayo dead inside the security post, while Oyesiku’s body was discovered in the living room of the main building.

“The crime scene was scientifically processed. Preliminary investigation further revealed that a Lexus RX 330 vehicle belonging to the deceased was missing from the compound, raising suspicion of robbery and murder,” he added.

According to Ojajuni, the stolen vehicle was traced and recovered a day later through intelligence and technical tracking efforts.

He said investigators also recovered a handwritten note at the crime scene, which later became a key piece of evidence.

“Although the ignition key had been removed and the registration number plates detached from the vehicle, detectives recovered the vehicle’s registration plate concealed underneath one of the seats, which enabled investigators to positively identify and confirm the vehicle as the property of Madam Olakitan Oyesiku.

“One critical piece of evidence recovered from the scene was a handwritten note apparently left behind by the perpetrators. The note was subjected to forensic examination and analysis, which generated valuable investigative leads that significantly aided detectives in identifying and tracing those responsible for the crime,” he stated.

The CP said further intelligence gathering led operatives to arrest the prime suspect, 22-year-old Sodeinde Olajuwon Philip, on June 24 at a construction site in Ibara GRA, Abeokuta, where he worked as a labourer.

He added that subsequent operations resulted in the arrest of Sakirudeen Abdulraheem Ayoola, 27, a security guard, and Sobu Obafunsho, 36, a bricklayer.

Ojajuni said Philip admitted his involvement in the crime and told investigators that he recruited the two other suspects.

He said, “Further follow-up operations by detectives of the command led to the successful arrest of Sakirudeen Abdulraheem Ayoola and Sobu Obafunsho, thereby bringing into custody all identified suspects directly linked to the criminal conspiracy.

“During interrogation, Sodeinde Olajuwon Philip made a confessional statement, admitting his involvement in the murder of Madam Olakitan Oyesiku. He further disclosed that he had recruited Sakirudeen Abdulraheem Ayoola and Sobu Obafunsho to participate in the crime.”

The commissioner said Philip told investigators he orchestrated the attack because of grievances he held from the period he worked as a security guard for the deceased.

“The suspect stated that the murder of Madam Olakitan Oyesiku was intended to ‘teach her a lesson,” Ojajuni added.

Ojajuni said the suspects struck on June 20 and first subdued Adetayo before forcing their way into the residence.

“According to the statement, they first overpowered the security guard, Pelumi Adetayo, and used him to gain access to the residence. Upon gaining entry, they attacked Madam Olakitan Oyesiku and subsequently murdered the security guard.

“After committing the crime, the suspects fled the scene with the deceased’s Lexus RX 330 vehicle, which was later recovered through intelligence-led and technical tracking operations at the Onikolobo area of Ogun State,” the CP said.

The police commissioner also revealed that detectives recovered several items believed to be linked to the crime, including a broken hammer, a cutlass, a plank and a black pen.

“Following the suspects’ confessional statements, detectives conducted further searches at locations linked to them. During the operation, a broken hammer, a cutlass, a plank, a black pen and other relevant exhibits connected to the investigation were recovered,” he said.

Ojajuni noted that despite the confessional statements and evidence already obtained, detectives were still expanding the investigation.

“The Ogun State Police Command wishes to emphasise that while the suspects have made useful statements and substantial evidence has been recovered in the course of the investigation, all suspects remain entitled to due process under the law.

“Investigation is ongoing to consolidate all available evidence and ensure diligent prosecution of all suspects connected with the crime,” he added.

He assured residents that the command would pursue justice for the victims and ensure everyone connected to the killings faces the law.

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Edo Special Court Sentences Four Kidnappers to Death

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The Edo State Special Criminal Court has sentenced four men to death for their involvement in the kidnapping of a woman at the Vegetable Market along Airport Road in Benin City.

Justice Aigbona Momodu handed down the sentences after finding the defendants guilty on multiple counts connected to the kidnapping case.

The convicts are Marvellous Isaac, Wisdom Michael, Rufus Emete Michael and Gift Raphael.

Isaac and Michael were sentenced to death on counts two through nine. They also received separate prison terms on other counts, including seven years on count one, while Isaac was sentenced to 10 years on count 10 and life imprisonment on count 11.

Rufus Emete Michael was sentenced to death on counts two, three, four, six and seven, in addition to a seven-year prison term on count one.

The fourth defendant, Gift Raphael, was sentenced to death on counts two, four, six and eight and received seven years imprisonment on count one.

Delivering the sentences, Justice Momodu ordered that the death sentences be carried out by hanging or lethal injection, in accordance with the court’s judgment.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of a JoJef pump-action firearm and ammunition tendered as exhibits during the trial.

The firearm, identified as Exhibit M, along with two unused cartridges and two spent cartridges listed as Exhibits E and E1, was ordered to be handed over to the Edo State Police Armourer at the State Criminal Investigation Department for destruction.

Justice Momodu directed that the exhibits be transferred to the police through the Deputy Director of the Criminal Division and destroyed within 30 days.

The convictions bring to an end the trial arising from the abduction of the woman at the Vegetable Market along Airport Road, an incident that added to concerns over kidnapping and armed crime in Benin City.

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Adeleke Hails Osun’s NECO Performance, Promises More Investments in Education

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Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has hailed the state’s strong performance in the 2026 National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination, describing the result as a positive reflection of ongoing efforts to reposition education in the state.

Osun placed fifth nationally in the 2026 NECO ranking, with 74.31 per cent of candidates recording at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.

While congratulating the students, teachers, parents, school administrators and other stakeholders, the governor noted that the state performance has been improving within a single digit rating for three consecutive years namely 2024, 2025 and 2026.

“Osun has moved from 33rd position in the 2022 NECO ranking to 5th in 2026, while improving its pass rate to 74.31 per cent. This is encouraging, and it shows that our sustained interventions in the education sector are yielding positive results,” the Governor said.

Governor Adeleke said the improved performance reflects his administration’s deliberate investment in the education sector, including the recruitment of additional teachers to strengthen the teaching workforce, while prioritising workers’ welfare and creating a more conducive environment for effective teaching and learning across public schools.

The Governor said the performance reinforces his administration’s determination to continue investing in education, noting that the objective is to build a system that gives every Osun child the knowledge, skills and opportunities needed to succeed.

“This result is encouraging, but we see it as a reason to do more. We will continue to invest in our schools, improve the learning environment, support our teachers and provide our students with the necessary tools to excel.

“We are building an education system that prepares our young people not only for examinations but for life,” the Governor said.

He assured that ongoing interventions in the education sector would be sustained and expanded, while urging students to remain committed to their studies.

His Excellency also commended teachers across the state for their dedication and sacrifices, assuring them that the administration would continue to prioritise measures that strengthen the education system and improve workers’ welfare.

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NATOP Returns to Classroom for WTD 2026, Holds Multi-zone Celebration Across Nigeria

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The Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) marked the 2026 World Tourism Day with activities which capture capacity building, technology, destination promotion and domestic tourism, and celebration.

In the South West Zone, close to 200 tour operators gathered at Ziba Beach Resort, Lagos, for a special training focused on Artificial Intelligence and its application in tourism, equipping operators with digital tools to improve their businesses and destination marketing.

In Abuja, the FCT and Northern Zone, in collaboration with Naija Adventurers, staged a colourful Tourism Awareness Walk and Hike to the Centre of Nigeria.

The celebration also spread to the South-South Zone, where members marked the day with a destination tour, alongside activities to commemorate with the world tourism day celebrations.

In line with the theme for this year’s WTD celebration: ‘Digital agenda and artificial intelligence to redesign tourism’ the NATOP training on AI and application in tour operation at Ziba Beach Resort Lagos saw a large turnout of the members of the association.

The President of the association, Hajia Bolaji Mustapha explained that the idea for the location and training was to train members on how to do tour business, to know how to promote tourism digitally, using different AI tool and everything so that they will grow their businesses.

She said: “we follow the theme and, you know, blend with the old situation. Let’s do the training so that we attach it to the World Tourism Day with the theme that we have achieved something and also celebrate.”

She said the training will go a long way in helping the tour operators do greater content to digitally tell destination stories using AI, and also using the tool for expression.

Mustapha also explained why the association chose Ziba Beach Resort: “We always attach World Tourism Day to a tourism site. And definitely, if you look at this whole area and this community, that’s why we see that Ziba is a tourism site. We want to explore and of course. The resort newly launched its third phase. So, we will use this opportunity to look at their rooms, look at how we can sell this destination, to showcase it that the resort is actually in Nigeria, not Zanzibar. By using the place, we would kill two birds with one stones.
Facility tour of Ziba Beach Resort

“As tour operators who are willing to tell the good story of our Nigeria, we need to bring ourselves up to the speed, align with the digital revolution. Let everybody go digital. Because we also see the content creators are taking our business, we want to align it with what they do. We are the ones that understand the business and we’ll be able to tell the story better, so that anybody coming to Nigeria will be able to discover Nigeria with the experts.”

Also commenting on the celebration, the NATOP Vice President South West and chairman of the WTD Organizing Committee for the zone, Mrs. Wonuola Olatunde-Lamidi explained why NATOP South West’s usage of the 2026 WTD for training. She said many of the members still have a lot to learn about the tour business, and that some do not understand the foundation of the business, including how to create packages hence the need for the training.

Mrs. Olatunde-Lamidi spoke further: “Many don’t understand the foundation of what it is to create a tour package. And when you have people that are not well-trained in an industry, the industry will not grow. The kind of people that you also have will not have enough earning power to do many things. And because this is an industry that I have been in for 16 years, I run Diamonds and Pearls Travels with my husband. And I’ve seen Diamonds and Pearls Travels metamorphose into a company where people don’t just look at us as travel agents. We have become a Destination Management Company (DMC). We have become a trusted brand. We have become a company that when we talk about a destination, people want to go to that destination because of how we have portrayed the destination. And you may not realize that, as tour operators, you can actually decide where people go. You can make people go to a particular destination by marketing it, by letting them know the benefits of that destination.”

The tour operators had opportunity to tour the resort and unwind during the programme.

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