Guard kills Babcock varsity female student in hotel

A security guard, Azeez Ibrahim, has shot dead a female undergraduate of Babcock University, Busayo Ogunkoya, during a birthday party in a hotel in Ikorodu, Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that 22-year-old Ogunkoya was celebrating with her friends on Saturday evening, July 5, 2014, at Mambillah Hotel, when the guard fired a shot that killed her.

Our correspondent learnt that immediately the incident happened, there was confusion as the people fled the hotel.

A source said Ibrahim was drunk.

He said, “The incident happened on Saturday night when Busayo and her friends were having a party.

“She did not know the person celebrating, but she was invited to the party by her boyfriend.

“The party was going on fine until the security man, who was holding a gun which he claimed he had seized from some robbers, mishandled the gun and fired a bullet which hit Busayo. The guard was said to be drunk.”

Our correspondent gathered that the bullet lodged in the neck region of the victim.

She was said to have been rushed to a private hospital in the area where she was confirmed dead.

Policemen from the Owutu Police Division were said to have arrived at the scene and arrested the guard, the assistant manager of the hotel and the victim’s boyfriend.

When our correspondent visited the area, there was tension as residents were afraid to talk about the incident.

Mambillah, which is one of the popular hotels in the Ikorodu area of Lagos, also bore a gloomy look.

A resident confided in PUNCH Metro that since the tragedy, the hotel had been shut to guests and no music had been played during the daytime as was the practice.

A large number of security officials was also said to have been deployed in the hotel to prevent attack from aggrieved youths.

A young boy, who did not identify himself for security reason, said the incident left a bloody trail.

He said, “On Sunday morning when I wanted to do something in the hotel, I noticed blood on the ground. I cannot say exactly how the incident happened, but I learnt a lady was killed the previous night.”

PUNCH Metro learnt that the guard, who fired the killer shot, owned a house in Ikorodu.

Our correspondent spoke with one of his tenants, who pleaded anonymity for security reasons.

She described Ibrahim as a caring landlord who was only a victim of some “forces.”

She said, “He is such a nice and caring landlord. I have been living in his house for a long time and he has never made any trouble with me.

“I know he is just a victim of some forces beyond his control. He could not have deliberately killed the girl and I hope the police authorities would have mercy on him.”

When our correspondent met the manager of the hotel for comment, he said he had nothing to say.

After verifying the identity of our correspondent, he said, “I have nothing to say to The PUNCH newspaper. Where were you when the incident happened? Where were you when I was trying to settle with the girl’s family? Please I have nothing to say.”

The Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Lelma Kolle, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, however, confirmed the incident.

He said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, for investigation.

Kolle said, “Yes the incident happened. The girl was in the hotel and the security man opened fire on her. Nobody knows his reason for doing that. The police have arrested the assistant manager of the hotel, the deceased’s boyfriend and the security man. The case has been transferred to the SCID.”