Police nab suspect in popular Ondo bizman murder, recover pistol, charms

A month after the assassination of a renowned business mogul in Ondo State, Alhaji Sumaila Awoyinka, detectives from the state police command have apprehended a prime suspect in the high-profile murder case.  The police disclosed the arrest of the suspect, identified as Afolabi Ijalo in a release issued at the weekend by the Police Public […]

A month after the assassination of a renowned business mogul in Ondo State, Alhaji Sumaila Awoyinka, detectives from the state police command have apprehended a prime suspect in the high-profile murder case. 

The police disclosed the arrest of the suspect, identified as Afolabi Ijalo in a release issued at the weekend by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka and made available to journalists in Akure. 

It would be recalled that Alhaji Awoyinka was assassinated last month at his residence in the Idi mango area, opposite the Caring Heart Mega School in Ore town, the headquarters of the Odigbo Local Government Area of the state. 

The deceased, who was a popular building materials merchant, was shot at a close range shortly after he left the mosque to observe his prayers during the just concluded Ramadan fasting. 

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However, Mr Ayanlade, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the suspect was nabbed after a manhunt for him by detectives in Ore. 

The police spokesman added that a locally-made pistol and charms were part of the incriminating items recovered from the suspect during a search of his residence. 

“The Ondo State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in the murder case of Late Alhaji Awoyinka Sumaila, a prominent businessman who was gruesomely killed in his residence in Ore on March 1, this year.

“Following a discreet and thorough investigation, officers of the command apprehended the prime suspect, one Ijalo ‘m’ on the 10/04/2024, an alleged resident of Osogbo.

 “The arrest was made after a painstaking manhunt led operatives back to Ore, where a locally-made pistol believed to have been used in the murder, along with criminal charms, were recovered during a search of the suspect’s premises,” he said in the copy of the statement.  

Mr Ayanlade further stated that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Wilfred Afolabi, commended the diligence of his men for the breakthrough while also reaffirming the command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety of all residents. 

The arrest came after Daily Trust profiled the high cases of assassination of business moguls, hoteliers and socialites in the state, a tragic incident that had sparked public concerns and outcry.