Five persons suspected to have participated in the torture of a 38-year-old resident of Ikorodu, Yemi Taiwo to death and injuring another person called Femi Animasaun, have been arrested by the police.
The arrested suspects were identified as Ola Tijani, Micheal James, Ahmed Kasumu Tunde’ James and Kose aka “Sharp Shooter” and were arrested by men of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Abuja.
The police confirmed the arrest of the suspects to the Nigerian Tribune and added that efforts have been intensified to arrest other members of the gang.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the arrest of the suspects followed a review of the viral video of the torture incident that led to the death of the deceased, while his partner was partially paralysed.
The deceased Yemi Taiwo died on the 8th of September 2020, four days after he and Femi Animasaun were abducted in the Isiwu area of Ikorodu by some suspected cult members.
According to a police source, the arrest of the suspects followed a directive from the office of the Inspector General of Police to FCID after a petition from the representatives of the survivor of the torture incident, Femi Animasaun and of the deceased Taiwo.
The suspects were identified as some of those in the viral video of the dehumanising torture of Taiwo and Animasaun inside the premises of Ikorodu North Local Government.
The duo was reportedly on their way to Taiwo’s site in Isiwu on the 4th of September 2020, when they were abducted, tortured, dehumanised and stripped naked, which resulted in Taiwo’s death.
Meanwhile, the wife of the deceased Taiwo, and the survivor, Animasaun and their families have raised the alarm over their safety following reported attacks and threat to their lives from suspected colleagues of the arrested suspects.
Femi Animasaun, the survivor, who claimed that his life has been under threat, said that there had been attempts to kill him by those, who saw him as a prime witness to the dastardly act.
Animasaun said that he had to be taken away from the hospital, where he was rushed to after it was uncovered that some people were trying to eliminate him at the hospital.
The survivor narrated that “On the 4th of September 2020 Yemi and I were on our way to Isiwu to roof his building and when we got to the bus stop, some people attacked us and started beating us .”Â
“They dragged us into the village and more people, cultists, vigilante members, palace boys dragged us into the local government secretariat, stripped us naked, hit us with charms and other dangerous weapons.”
The survivor also stated that “at a time, I was about to die but Yemi was stronger and he kept assisting me and lifting me up, whenever they ordered us to stand up.”
He also commended the Inspector General of Police Usman Baba Alkali over the arrest of the suspects and pleaded with the police boss to call for the arrest of other members of the gang.
He said, “I want to thank the IG for arresting them. They have been boasting that they have a Godfather in Ikorodu, who is sponsoring them and that they have top police officers with them .”
“My life is not safe now. I had to be taken away from the hospital because my people heard that they were planning to kill me since I was the only witness.
The image maker in charge of FCID Funmilayo Eguaoje confirmed the arrest of the suspects when she said “yes, it is true that we arrested five of them.”Â
She also added that efforts have been intensified to arrest other members of the gang who have gone into hiding.
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