Martins Olasehinde

Four suspects have been arrested over the alleged murder of a man in southern Nigeria’s state of Delta, police said Monday.

The victim, identified as Paulinus Okon – was declared missing by his brothers on Sept. 8, 2024, Delta State Police Command said.

The deceased on that fateful day went out with his friend, Efe Onoetiyi and could not returned, police spokesman SP Bright Edafe said.

According to Edafe, Onoetiyi who initially denied knowing what happened to his friend came to Okon’s house to ask his family the whereabout of his friend.

The police spokesman added that the suspect was confronted that the deceased went out with him and he denied.

“On a later date, the suspect came back and demanded for N500,000 from the deceased’s brother that he will use the money to pay a herbalist who can tell the whereabout of Okon,” he said.

“Again, Onoetiyi came and informed the family that Okon was kidnapped.

“He also collected a ransom of about ₦20,715,000 from the deceased brother claiming that he is in touch with the kidnappers.

“When it became obvious that the suspect had something to hide, he was arrested and the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, State Headquarters, Asaba.”

Edafe said the Commissioner of Police Olufemi Abaniwonda on Nov. 28, directed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ekpan Division to handle the matter.

According to the police spokesman, an intelligence-led investigation indicted one Okiemute Gaga.

Edafe added that Gaga upon interrogation, confessed that Onoetiyi brought the deceased to Orere River in Otokutu, Ughelli South Local Government Area and requested that they should kill him.

“Gaga further disclosed that on Sept 8, himself, Onoetiyi, Sunday Ikpeba and a herbalist identified as Lawrence Joseph, tied the deceased to a stake at night close to Orere River and beheaded him alive,” the police spokesman told reporters.

Edafe further said that the body of the deceased was thrown into the river while the herbalist took the head and buried it at his shrine in Otokutu.

He said that the DPO of Ekpan Division led police operatives to the shrine in Otokutu where the skull of the deceased was exhumed and recovered.

The police spokesman said: “During interrogation, Onoetiyi was asked why he killed his friend (Okon) and he explained that he saw a building for sale at a cost ₦30 million.

“Onoetiyi advertised the building to the deceased and he paid him the ₦30 million in three instalments.

“But instead of buying the house, the suspect diverted the money for his personal use, bought two plots of land and was building a duplex for himself.”

Edafe quoted Onoetiyi to have further said that he did not know how to explain to the deceased that he had spent the money on something else, hence he decided to kill him.

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