 |
| John Legend and wife Christie |
 |
| Celine Dion |
 |
| Mariah Carey |
 |
| Taraji P. Henson |
 |
| Britney Spears |
 |
| Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea |
“That was when Ganiyu introduced me to Wasiu to fix my car. After he fixed my car, I paid him N35,000. Since then, we have had no business except when our paths occasionally crossed and we exchange pleasantries.In his defence, 33-year-old Wasiu Fadairo, the mechanic who lured Bode with the call that brought him to the house, said: “I am from Kwara State. The late Ganiyu is from my home town.
“On Tuesday, Wasiu called me at about 6p.m., saying they need my help urgently. He said Ganiyu was in the hospital and that they needed money to purchase pints of blood and drips, which was about N19, 000.
“He pleaded with me to come. At about 7pm, without any idea that Ganiyu was dead, I drove my car to the junction of their street, called him on phone that he should come and collect N5,000, which was all that I had to assist Ganiyu’s treatment at that time.
“When he came to where I parked my vehicle, he said the hospital was nearby, so we walked towards where he said the hospital is located.
“As we walked, I began to notice some strange movement in the vicinity as bad boys filled the area, so I asked where exactly the hospital was. He said we are taking a short cut to the hospital.
‘’Eventually, the short cut led to a compound. Immediately we entered the compound, people began to ask me what I knew about Ganiyu’s death. I told them I knew nothing, but they did not believe me, and they began to beat me.
‘’When they were beating me, a Baale in the area interrogated me, told them to stop beating me and to hand me over to the police, or they might beat me to death and then have two corpses on their hands. But they refused.
“After beating me, they forced me to sleep on the floor in the same room where Ganiyu’s corpse was laid to prove that I had nothing to do with his death. While they were beating me, my phone and the money in my pocket got missing.
“When they discovered that I was still alive, they washed his corpse and forced me to drink the water. I refused but they almost killed me with another round of beating. When it was obvious that I had no option, I drank it.
“After I drank the water, someone who claimed that he knew me called the police. The police took me to divisional police station at Awoshika, before the case was transferred to Area F Command.
“I have nothing to do with Ganiyu’s death. How would I be responsible for his death when I had no problem with him? All I want is for government and Nigerians to come to my aid, and bring those who meted this inhumane treatment to me to justice.’’
“On May 12, Ganiyu was stooling and vomiting blood, so we rushed him to a hospital located along Oluwora Road, Isheri in Magodo. He later died, calling a particular name— Bode.Confirming the incident, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said: “Two friends went out for a drink and one of them, Ganiyu, took ill after the outing and started stooling.
“After he died, we took him home because none of his immediate family members or relatives was available. When we called them, they said they were coming, so we kept his corpse inside his room.
“That same day, neighbours and people living around were angry, alleging that the name Bode, which Ganiyu kept calling before he died, was responsible for his death. So they began to call Bode’s phone number.
“When Bode did not come, I called him with my phone and told him that Ganiyu was lying critically ill and needed blood and drips, and that we need his assistance.
“When he came, people began to question him concerning what he knew about Ganiyu’s death. Before he could say a word, they pounced on him and began to beat him. So I ran to call the police to come and rescue him.
“After police rescued him, they later went to where he parked his car and vandalized it. I was there when they were beating him, but I was not there when they forced him to lie beside the corpse and drink the water used to wash it.”
“He was rushed to the hospital for medical attention, but died in the process. Angry friends and neighbours, suspecting the complicity of Bode David, descended on him and attempted to lynch him.
“He was, however, rescued by our policemen and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ganiyu commenced at Isheri Division. But the case has been transferred to the Department of Criminal investigation, DCI, Yaba, for further investigation.”
He said, “We are six in the gang, but I was the only one that was arrested on that day. Others ─ Lekan, Biodun, Aloma and two others; I don’t know their names ─ escaped. While in Ajangbadi, I lied to the police that Adekambi was an accomplice.
“Aloma, a cobbler in Suru Alaba, called me on the phone and asked me to meet him in the Ilogbo, Ajangbadi area. I met him and others at a hemp smoking joint.The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed the incident. He added that Adekambi had been released.
“They brought three cutlasses and three wooden batons. I took one of the wooden batons.
“We went to Orisa Street, and stayed in an uncompleted building till about 1am. At about 1.30am, we went to our victim’s house. The man and his family cooperated with us, until we cut him with a cutlass. He then let out a scream which attracted people in the neighborhood.
“So, the vigilance members came and everybody fled. I was caught and handed over to the police.
“When they brought Tunde (Adekambi) later, I lied that he was a gang member. At SARS too, I initially insisted that Tunde was one of us because I did not want to be punished alone. But after a few days, I decided to tell the truth. So, I told the police that Tunde was innocent.
“I did not know why I implicated him. I knew the police would torture a suspected robber, but I did not want to go through it alone. Our usual operation is to use motorcycles to snatch peoples’ bags.”
Adekambi, who hails from Ilorin, Kwara State, said he was shocked for being named as a member of the robbery gang.
He said, “On that fateful day, I had just finished prayer and was coming back home at about 7am when some people on a motorcycle stopped beside me. They were members of a vigilante group.
“They asked me what I was doing there and I explained that I was returning from the mosque. They did not believe me. They tore my shirt, calling me an armed robber. When we got to where Ahmed (Adekeye) was handcuffed, he told them that I was a member of the gang. That was the beginning of my ordeal.
“I was detained at the station for three days and transferred to SARS. I am still in shock, but I have forgiven him. I do not have an option.”
Simon Ekpa, a Finnish-Nigerian has been arrested in Finland alongside four other individuals for alleged terror-related offenses. Ekpa is a...
