The Ekiti State police command has apprehended Omowaye Ayodele, popularly known as Baba Ogbon, in connection with the murder of Professor Oluwafemi Olaofe, former Deputy Vice Chancellor of Ekiti State University (EKSU).
The arrest was confirmed in a statement released by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Sunday Abutu.
Ayodele’s arrest also sheds light on his involvement in a recent heinous crime where a businesswoman, Aina Adeyemi, was robbed and killed at Fabian Junction, near the Federal Polytechnic Satellite Campus in Ado-Ekiti.
The police received a distress call on July 6, 2024, reporting a gunman on an unregistered Boxer Bajaj motorcycle who shot Adeyemi and fled the scene. Despite being rushed to Ekiti State Teaching Hospital, she was pronounced dead.
The Rapid Response Squad (RRS) was swiftly deployed, and their investigation led to the arrest of Omowaye Ayodele in Akure, Ondo State.
During interrogation, Ayodele confessed to participating in the crime and named his accomplices: Ojo Temidayo, also known as Yellow, and Busari Lookman, alias Abbey. Ayodele detailed their roles, explaining that while Lookman executed the robbery and shooting, he and Temidayo monitored the environment and identified the victim.
Subsequent operations by the RRS resulted in the arrest of Lookman, who admitted to shooting the deceased and stealing 155,000. Lookman disclosed that the stolen money was handed over to Ayodele, who then gave him 50,000 as his share. Further interrogation revealed Ayodele’s involvement in a kidnapping syndicate responsible for the abduction of Professor Olaofe in the Federal Housing Area, Ado-Ekiti. Ayodele, who had previously been imprisoned for kidnapping in 2015 and released in May 2024, also confessed to multiple robberies targeting Point of Sale (POS) operators across Ado-Ekiti.
Temidayo, another key suspect, confessed to being an Indian hemp dealer and fraudster. The police are currently intensifying efforts to apprehend the remaining gang member, Sunday Onyema, who is believed to be in possession of their operational weapons.
The suspects are undergoing thorough investigation and will be arraigned in court. The Ekiti State Police Command has assured the public that justice will be served, and efforts to eradicate criminal activities in the state will continue unabated.
This arrest marks a significant milestone in the fight against crime in Ekiti State, highlighting the relentless efforts of the police to ensure the safety and security of its residents.
