The Lagos State Police Command, on Wednesday, said it had arrested three suspects, Paul Peter, Rasaki Ibrahim and Damilare Abimbola, for allegedly killing one Kayode Babalola in the Alapere area of the state.

The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said Babalola was on his way to a vigil when he was attacked and dispossessed of his valuables, adding that the suspects subsequently threw him into a canal.

The CP, who addressed journalists on Wednesday during a parade of suspects, stated, “On December 11, 2019, one Kayode Babalola, 50, who left his office at Oregun in the Ikeja area for a vigil at a church in Ketu was attacked on a street in the Alapere area by the trio of Paul Peter, 22; Rasaki Ibrahim, 22; and Damilare Abimbola.

“He was dispossessed of his two phones and other personal effects before being conveyed in a wheelbarrow and thrown into a canal. The body of the deceased is still missing. The suspects have confessed to the crime. They will be charged soon.”

In a similar development, four suspects, Ugochukwu Udochukwu, Chidiebere Nnanna, Samuel Nnanna and David Obi, have been arrested for stabbing a lady, Moradeun Balogun, to death.

Odumosu said the suspects perpetrated the crime after dispossessing Balogun of her valuables around the NCIE bus stop in the Gbagada area of the state, adding that they would be charged.

He stated, “On December 3, 2019, around 7pm, one Moradeun Balogun, 28, was attacked on her way from work at the NCIE bus stop, Gbagada. The deceased was stabbed in her neck and her Lenovo computer laptop was stolen. Four suspects, Ugochukwu Udochukwu, Chidiebere Nnanna, Samuel Nnanna and David Obi, were arrested in connection with the crime.

“The suspects are giving useful information to aid the investigation, after which they will be charged.”

Another suspect, Amaechi Uzohma, has been arrested for allegedly killing a policeman, Sergeant Ifiobor Collins, in the Ifako-Ijaye area of Ogba, Lagos.

Odumosu said Collins and his colleagues were on patrol when hoodlums attacked them, killed the victim and snatched his rifle, adding that the suspect would be charged.

The CP also said the police had concluded investigation into the murder of the wife of the Managing Director of Maersk, Bernadett Tohouo, on December 8, 2019, and were ready to charge the suspected killers, Olamilekan Oke and Akande Adeyinka.

The deceased’s husband, Gildas Tohouo, was also stabbed in the neck and other parts of the body at their residence in the Apapa area of the state allegedly by the estate electrician, Oke, and his accomplice, Adeyinka.

The deceased was a Hungarian, while her husband is a Cameroonian.

Odumosu said, “Olamilekan Oke and Akande Adeyinka had a premeditated plan before taking advantage of an end of the year party organised by one Max Delany, a Briton, for some of his colleagues at the couple’s apartment to commit the dastardly act.

“Both suspects made confessional statements that they gained access to the couple’s apartment under the pretext of trying to fix the faulty electrical distribution box. The investigation is concluded and the suspects will be charged.”

The CP also said the command had arrested no fewer than 48 members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers for involvement in clashes, which had claimed some lives and sent shivers down the spines of residents and business owners in various parts of the state.

Some of the suspects, who spoke to our correspondent while being paraded at the state police command headquarters, Ikeja, said there had been clashes between factional groups of the union on the Lagos Island, adding that the state Chairman of the union, Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, set them up by inviting them to a meeting at the state office, when policemen invaded the venue and arrested them.

One of the suspects, Demola Ogunrinu, said the clashes between the NURTW members were between the Akinsanya faction and another loyal to Adekunle Lawal, aka Kunle Poly, adding that those arrested were from Lawal’s faction.

He said, “There has been trouble in our area between the loyalists of MC Oluomo and the Chairman of the Branch ‘C’, Kunle Poly. Trouble started when MC Oluomo became the chairman of the state chapter.

“Because of the way members were clashing and injuring each other, we were invited to the state office by MC Oluomo for a meeting and that was where we were arrested. We work from 6am to 6pm and don’t get involved in the fight.”

Another member, Ibrahim Ahmed, said they thought the meeting was to make peace between the factions, but were surprised that the state chairman could order their arrest.

He said, “I am a member of the Branch ‘C’ under Adekunle Lawal. People were fighting on Lagos Island and we were invited to a meeting for peace to reign and that was how we met ourselves here. What is happening is painful; look at how they are disgracing us.

“It was MC Oluomo, who invited us, and we were holding the meeting at the state office in Agege when they started locking the doors and brought the police to arrest us.”

Another member, Taiwo Audu, said, “The police arrested about 23 of us at the meeting and took us to the Area ‘G’, where we wrote statements and from there, we were brought to the command headquarters.”

The CP, however, said the NURTW members were arrested for disturbing the peace of the state, adding that they would be charged.