March 31, 2024

Aserial thief, identified as Babalola Dolapo Daniel has killed his childhood friend, Evangelist Opeyemi Oyelakin, dumped his body in a pit and stole the deceased motorcycle.

Babalola sold the motorcycle for N130,000 to his dealer in Ibadan. 

He committed the offence on March 15th, 2024 in Ondo town.

Police investigation showed that Babalola has been stealing motorcycles since 2021 from various towns such as Akure, Ekiti, Ilesha and Ife town.

Babalola and his accomplice, Sikiru Mutiu asked the deceased to carry them his motorcycle to where they have a farm at Oke-Igbo Area

On getting to the spot, Police said Mutiu  gripped Opeyemi from behind while Babalola used stick and stone to hit him on his head until he died.

Police said the corpse was dragged to a shallow pit where it was covered with leaves before the motorcycle was stolen

The corpse of the deceased has been recovered including the stick and stone used for committing the crime.

Babalola, who spoke after he took Police to the spot where the victim was dumped, said he regretted killing his close friend.

He said: “It is the work of the devil. I can’t explain because this person that we are talking about is my close friend. He is a close friend of mine. Truly his bike is not the first bike I will ever snatch but I have never killed before. Even those that are not related to me I snatched bike from them and I did not even do anything harmful to them but this one is just a coincidence.

“I can’t explain how it happened. At least I have snatched about 15 bikes but I have never killed before. His own is the first. My buyer is in Ibadan. The clean of the bike at times determine how much we are going to sell it, but no matter how clean the bike is, my buyer will buy it around N200,000.

“But we sold this one at the rate of N130,000 and we share the money equally because we are two in the business. When we intend to collect the bike from him, he dragged with us and I hit him with stone. I know his mum and younger brother. I can’t really explain why I killed him. I am a trader. I sell oranges  but I don’t have a shop. I do go to villages to buy oranges. I am from Oyo state, Ibadan precisely. But, I reside in Ondo town, I’m yet to marry, and this would be the first time I will come to this area.if which I have been in the business since 2021/2022.”

Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Abayomi Oladipo, said the suspect has a large syndicate and that efforts were on to arrest other members of the gang.

“He has snatched uncountable number of motorcycles. Through technical intelligence, the suspect was arrested and upon interrogation he confessed to how he committed the crime.

“I want to use this opportunity to alert the members of the public, most especially those who ride okada to be careful of the passengers that will engage their services to far areas and taking them to isolated roads.

“Also, I want to say that the residents of this area, especially those who farm here since on the 15th of March, when this incident happened till date, kept mute which is not supposed to be. So what we are saying is that if you see something you must say something.

“At the moment we are still investigating to apprehend all other offenders who are in the run.”