The police said they have arrested suspected killers of Funke Olakunri, daughter of the leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti.

The suspects are, Lawal Mazaje, 40, from Felele area of Kogi State; Adamu Adamu, 50, of Jada, Adamawa State; Mohammed Usman, 26, from Illela, Sokoto State; and Auwal Abubakar,25, from Zamfara State.

Police investigations revealed that the killing was carried out by eight fully armed robbery suspects led by one Tambaya (other names unknown), currently at large.

The Force explained that effort was being intensified to arrest the four other suspects still on the run.

This is coming nine months after Olakunri was attacked between Kajola and Ore along Ondo-Ore road in Ondo State on July 13, 2019, while travelling in a black Toyota Highlander SUV.

Some other vehicles were also ambushed and several persons, including her driver, were kidnapped, but later rescued.

the suspects
Confirming the arrest of the murder suspects in a statement on Thursday, the Force spokesman, Frank Mba, noted, “The arrest of Abubakar led to the arrest of two other members of the gang, Mohammed Usman and Lawal Mazaje in Benin, Edo State, from whom a cache of ammunition was recovered and one other Adamu Adamu in Akure, Ondo State.

“Having established sufficient physical and forensic evidence linking the suspects to the killing of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, the investigators, determined to clear all doubts relating to their findings on 8th April 2020, conducted an identification parade at the Federal SARS headquarters, Lagos which led to the positive and physical identification of Adamu, Mazaje and Usman by a survivor of the earlier crime.”

The police said the survivor gave a clear description of the roles each of the identified suspects played in the killing.

“At this point, the suspects capitulated and voluntarily offered a no-holds-barred confession on how Mrs Olakunrin was killed.”

It disclosed that the eight-man gang has its operational base and membership spread in the south-western part of the country and Edo State, noting that it was responsible for series of high-profile armed robbery and kidnap operations in the region.

By Adelani Adepegba