TheCable

The Oyo police command has debunked reports making the rounds on social media that the suspected killers of Olugbenga Owolabi, a hotelier, have been arrested.

Adewale Osifeso, Oyo police spokesperson, debunked the claim in an interview with TheCable, on Monday.

BACKGROUND

On July 28, gunmen kidnapped Owolabi and Rachael Opadele, a student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), at Abba community, Ogbomoso, Oyo state.

On August 2, the gunmen reportedly murdered the hotelier and the student, who was said to be working with Owolabi owing to the ongoing strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The kidnappers were said to have killed the abductees after collecting a ransom of N5 million.

A family source had disclosed that the motorcyclist who conveyed the person scheduled to deliver the ransom was shot dead in the bush, while the ransom-bearer sustained injuries.

The killing of the student had also led to a protest by LAUTECH students.

REPORTS ON ARREST OF SUSPECTS SURFACE ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

Over the weekend, unconfirmed reports circulated on Facebook and WhatsApp, claiming that officers of the Oyo state police command have arrested the suspected killers of the hotelier and LAUTECH student.

The viral unconfirmed reports, shared alongside a photograph, claimed that the immediate younger brother of the deceased hotelier was arrested as being the alleged mastermind of the kidnap.

“Police had arrested Femi Owolabi, the immediate younger brother of late Gbenga Owolabi, an hotelier in Ogbomoso, who was kidnapped and later killed by the kidnappers alongside LAUTECH student, Rachael,” a viral social media post claims

“By then, all fingers were pointing at herdsmen as the perpetrators of the crime. But the suspect, Femi Owolabi, has owned up to the crime and blamed the devil over what happened in his confessional statement made to the Police. Wonders shall never end!”

‘NONE OF OUR SIBLINGS BEARS FEMI OWOLABI’

Reacting to the social media claim, Ayo Owolabi, the elder brother of the deceased who spoke on behalf of the family, told Daily Independent that the family had no sibling named ‘Femi Owolabi.

He also said no family member was arrested in connection with the kidnap and murder of the deceased.

Another relative of the family, who asked not to be named, said the story was to divert attention.

“I believe the story of the arrest was planted to divert attention from the real culprits,” the source said.

‘NO ARREST MADE’

Speaking with TheCable, Osifeso said the Oyo police command has not made any arrest on the case, adding that investigation into the incident has commenced.

“If Oyo state police command makes any arrest concerning cases like this, definitely, we would have done a press conference or briefing and invite journalists to let them know that we have some persons in custody,” he said.

“But apparently, since we did not have any of such, what does that imply? A lot of calls have come in about this. We don’t have any of such. Investigations are ongoing as we speak because we have expanded the angles of the investigation.

“The CP has directed that the homicide section of the criminal investigation department to pick up the matter. If we make any of such arrest, definitely, we owe it to the members of the public to bring such persons or group of people out for them to see.”

JOURNALIST BEARS BRUNT OF FAKE NEWS

Meanwhile, the photograph of Femi Owolabi, the head of investigations of Cable Newspaper Journalism Foundation (CNJF), was circulated on social media as the purported killer of the hotelier.

Speaking on the development, the journalist said he had received calls and messages from family members, friends and colleagues on the content of the viral post.

“In the last 24 hours, I have received calls and messages — drawing my attention to a report making the rounds about the confession of a certain Femi Owolabi who allegedly killed his elder brother,” the journalist said in a statement.

“From the report, Femi Owolabi was paraded by the Oyo state police command and had confessed to killing his brother, an action he now blamed on the devil.

“The said elder brother, Gbenga Owolabi, was based in the US and had come to Nigeria where he was reportedly kidnapped and subsequently murdered by his abductors in Oyo state.

“I like to inform the public that the Femi Owolabi here is NOT me. The public should also note that a picture of me attached to a viral report of the incident is a regrettable and negligent mix-up, and should be totally ignored. I have already commenced action to address it.

“I must state unequivocally that, not only am I not the Femi Owolabi in question, I am also in no way related to the family of the slain Gbenga Owolabi.”