Police Arrest Suspects for Beheading Okada Rider and Stealing His Motorcycle in Kwara

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested three suspects in connection with the beheading of a commercial motorcyclist and the theft of his motorcycle in the Asunlere area of Oke Oyi, Ilorin.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, Kwara State Commissioner of Police, CP Victor Olaiya, identified the suspects as Peter Samuel, Jeremiah Tiozinda, and Sunday Agbenke.

CP Olaiya confirmed that an Itel Android phone and the stolen motorcycle had been recovered from the suspects.

According to Olaiya, the incident came to light on November 4, 2024, when residents of Asunlere, Oke Oyi, Ilorin, reported the discovery of a headless body near a stream in the area.

The individuals who made the report, Abdulrasheed Ola Sheu and Ismail Muhammed, arrived at the Oke-Oyi Police Division to inform officers of the grim discovery.

Following the report, detectives were promptly dispatched to the scene to investigate.

“Photographic evidence was captured, revealing a significant mark of violence around the neck, indicating that the head was severed,” he said.

The Commissioner of Police stated that the body was later recovered and transferred to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital morgue, where it is awaiting an autopsy.

“At the crime scene, detectives recovered an Itel Android phone, which was suspected to belong to one of the assailants, as well as a motorcycle believed to be the deceased’s property. Further search revealed that the deceased’s phone was also found on him.”

He added that detectives intensified their efforts to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.

“These efforts yielded results in the early hours of November 6, 2024, based on reliable intelligence, three suspects were apprehended at separate locations. The suspects, identified as Peter Samuel (M), Jeremiah Tiozinda (M) and Sunday Agbenke (M),” he said.

He stated that the suspects have confessed to committing the crime.

“Additionally, the recovered Android phone was confirmed to belong to suspect Peter Samuel, who was planning to flee from the state. During interrogation, the suspects revealed that they disposed of the victim’s severed head in a nearby river,” he said.

He noted that efforts are currently underway to recover the remaining evidence.

“The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for thorough investigation, Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses,” he said, adding that the suspects will soon be arraigned in court.

Speaking to journalists, one of the suspects, Peter Samuel, confessed that he was contacted by the ringleader, Sunday Agbenke, to participate in the crime.

“I was called by Agbenke. He told me about an Okada rider who usually gave him rides had recently bought a new bike. He suggested we kill him and steal the bike,” Samuel said.

“He told me that after we stole the bike, we could sell it and make a lot of money. That’s how we got ourselves into this big trouble.

“When we tried to carry out the plan, we couldn’t take the bike because we encountered a vigilante group on our way. We abandoned the bike and ran into the bush.

“The Okada rider had taken us to Oloru. On our way back, one of my companions dropped his slipper. When I went to pick it up, my brother hit the rider on the head with a plank.

“The rider fell down, and I used a cutlass to behead him,” the suspect added.