A 14-year-old girl identified as Joy Afekafe has been apprehended over her involvement in the murder of Dr Fumilola Adefolalu, who was a lecturer with the Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences of the Federal University of Technology, Minna on Saturday, October 28.
Joy, who confessed to the crime while being paraded at the Bosso Police Station in Minna, Niger state, said that she had gone to the house to confront and beat up the late lecturer for sending her packing.
According to Joy, she had gone to the deceased residence with two of her classmates whom she identified as Walex and Smart, adding that while beating her, it was discovered that the lecturer would report them when she was left alone which was why they decided to kill her.
The suspect who is an SS 2 Student of Day Secondary School, Gidan Kuka, said that Smart and Walex first hit the deceased with a stool before stabbing the deceased with knives repeatedly and leaving her dead.
She stated: “It was Walex who said that she would recognize us if we left her alive, so they started stabbing her with the knife we brought, I then struggled with the knife with them which made Smart enter her kitchen and take a knife there and they continued stabbing her.
“They stabbed her in her stomach, her hands, her legs and she was just shouting Jesus, Jesus. After all that, they took her phone and laptop and her car battery before we left the house in the motorcycle we came in.”
Joy said she had been living with the deceased for three weeks, adding that the deceased who was supposed to sponsor her education sent her packing because she could no longer bear her misdeeds.
The Niger State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abiodun Wasiu while parading the suspect, said that the police are on the trail of Joy’s friends, Walex and Smart, saying that the investigation is ongoing as the case is being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and prosecution.
The church where the deceased was a pastor, Voice of Mercy Ministry, has demanded swift justice following the arrest of the principal suspect in the murder of its Pastor, Dr. Fumilola Adefolalu.
The church, while commending the efforts of the law enforcement agencies in apprehending one of the principal suspects, said that they hoped the arrest would lead to the arrest of other perpetrators who were involved in the wicked act.
The statement signed by the Head of Media and Communications, Pastor Bolaji Olanipekun read: “The Voice of Mercy Ministry is deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic and senseless murder of our beloved Pastor, Dr Mrs Fumilola Adefolalu. This heinous act has left a profound impact on our congregation, and we are united in our resolve to seek justice for our dear pastor.
“We call upon the security operatives and every law enforcement agency involved in this case to leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of justice. We urge them to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation, ensuring that all evidence is diligently examined and all leads are followed.
“As a church, we stand on the path for truth and justice and declare that everyone involved in the murder of our Pastor faces the full wrath of the law. We are seeking justice for her untimely and unjust demise. We trust that the law will ensure that those responsible for this horrific crime are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
The church stated that the loss of Pastor Fumilola Adefolalu has left an indelible void within our church adding that her unwavering faith, compassion, and dedication to serving others will always be remembered.
