Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested one Vincent Ehizojie for allegedly conspiring with other staff members to kill the owner of the Etashol Hotel and Suites, Abimbola Olusola, and the manager, Tunji Omikunle, in the Ojodu area of the state.
CCTV footage in the toilet of the hotel revealed the killers of Olusola, who had return from London less than a year ago to oversee the affairs of the hotel, and Omikunle.
While some workers were reportedly sacked for defrauding the hotel, it was reported that a gang consisting of the sacked workers and some others still in the employ of the hotel allegedly drugged the manager, tied his hands and feet and strangled him.
The conspirators, afterwards, reportedly took the access card to Olusola’s room from the murdered manager, tied her up and strangled the 56-year-old as well.
The state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, during a press briefing, on Monday, announced the arrest of Ehizojie, who was said to be one of the five suspects who perpetrated the crime.
Imohimi, who said Ehizojie and two staff members, Henry Lolo and Okechi Ezi, conspired with two contract employees, simply identified as Dubai and Dangote, to rob the London returnee of her hard-earned money, added that they did so with the belief that they had no future in the hotel.
He stated that the suspects laced the food, which was served other staff members, who were not part of their plan, with a sleep-inducing stimulant known as S.K.
Imohimi said, “This deals with a case of carefully planned and executed murder of one Olusola, 56, and Omikunle, 39, by five persons in the employ of the late Olusola.
“The fact of the case was that on Monday, January 25, 2019, around 3am, the Managing Director/CEO of Etashol Hotels and Suites, Olusola, and her Business Manager, Omikunle, were murdered in the said Etashol Hotel and Suites situated in the Ojodu area of the state.
“The plan to rob the deceased business woman was hatched by three staff members of the hotel namely: Henry Lolo, Ehizojie and Okechi Ezi, and two contract employees, who were identified by their aliases, Dubai and Dangote.
“According to Ehizojie, a principal suspect, who was arrested in Port Harcourt, where he had gone to take refuge after the heinous act, all the conspirators agreed that they had no future in the company, because they believed that the deceased was miserly. They, therefore, agreed that she must be robbed of her hard-earned local and foreign currencies, being a London returnee.
“In order to have a hitch-free operation, they agreed that Henry Lolo, currently at large, must prepare a fast food called ‘Indomie’, a delicacy loved by all staff members, and laced it with a sleep-inducing stimulant called S. K. to be served to the rest of the workers, who were not part of the conspiracy. Their plan worked as they successfully sent the rest of the workers to early sleep, except the late manager, who was already asleep before he could be served with the meal.”
Imohimi stated that the manager, who woke up when the suspects attempted to steal the card to gain access to Olusola’s room, was strangled, adding that the hotelier was also murdered when they gained access to her bedroom.
He said, “However, their attempt to steal the access card to the late CEO’s bedroom from the late manager’s pocket proved abortive as he woke up in the process and began to struggle with them at the reception area; in the ensuing scuffle, the manager was strangled. After strangulating the hotel manager, they searched his pockets but couldn’t find the card, so they went upstairs to the late CEO’s room and forced the door opened.
“They met an obviously shocked woman in the room and bound her hands and legs. By the time they were through, the woman had died. The gang stole her money, N50,000, as well as jewelleries and other personal effects, but couldn’t take them out of the hotel for fear of being challenged by a police team stationed close to the hotel. So, they abandoned the loot in the hotel, which had been recovered as exhibits by the homicide detectives investigating the case.
“Investigation has established a prima facie case of conspiracy and murder against the suspects, Vincent Ehizojie and others still at large, for the murder of Olusola and Omikunle. The CCTV footage available to the police clearly showed the role played by each of the participants in the crime.”
Imohimi added that the suspect so far arrested would be charged to court for murder, while efforts were on to arrest others still at large.
The CP also said the gender section of the command had commenced investigation into the allegation of the initiation of 12 children into an unlawful secret society, the ‘Awawa Boys’.
Imohimi, who said two arrests had been made, confirmed that a guidance and counselling worker attached to a public school in the Egan area of Igando, Lagos, saw the initiation mark on the jaw of a pupil.
He added that when the pupil was debriefed, she mentioned others with similar marks and confessed to taking the other pupils for initiation into the secret group.
He said, “I have directed the gender section of the command to carefully investigate the allegation of initiation into an unlawful society involving 12 children, whose ages range between eight and 16 years; the 16-year-old being the oldest and the only female among them.
“The children were discovered to have been initiated into a nefarious association by a guidance counsellor attached to a public school in Egan, Igando, Lagos, who saw a mark on the jaw of a pupil. She immediately debriefed the pupil, who mentioned the others with similar marks.
“The oldest among the children revealed that she took the rest of the pupils for initiation and that the symbol on their jaws was that of the notorious ‘Awawa Boys’. Two adult suspects behind the initiation are already in police custody and are helping police investigation.
“Investigation is ongoing with a view to arresting other members of the ‘Awawa Boys’ for prosecution.”
