Ibadan Serial Killer ‘Allowed’ To Escape Police Custody By Off-Duty Inspector -Oyo CP

…Culprits Facing Ordely Room Trial

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Nwachukwu Enwonwu, has said the 19-year-old suspected ritual killer, Sunday Shodipe, who is standing trial for killings in the Akinyele Local Government Area of the state escaped from an off-duty inspector.

The CP said the inspector opened the cell, brought out the suspect and took him to take his bath but Shodipe escaped in the process.

He said the off-duty inspector and his colleague on duty during the escape were undergoing orderly room trial, saying anyone found culpable would be punished according to the law.

He said this when the chairman of the Oyo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ademola Babalola, led executive members of the union to his office.

He said, “Whoever is involved in this sordid misconduct will not be spared.

“The measures we have taken to deal with criminals in the state has been to strategise crime control mechanisms of proactive policing which emphasises community policing which is partnership with all the stakeholders, other security agencies, military, vigilante, hunters, traditional rulers and others.”

He said the strategy had been working well, saying this was why some of the hoodlums who attacked a branch of First Bank in Okeho were arrested and weapons recovered from them.

The NUJ chairman said, “We are disturbed with the news of the escape of Sunday Shodipe. That is why we have to come here. Police custody should be the safest place to keep a suspect.”

The suspect had while being paraded by the police on July 17 confessed to some of the killings in the troubled area.

He said that a herbalist in Akinyele sent him on the mission to kill and each time he killed the man would buy food for him and give him N500. He was arraigned in court and the court ordered that he should be remanded in police custody.

He however escaped and the police through the Police Public Relations Ofdicer in Oyo State, Mr Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the escaped of the suspect in a statement on Sunday.

The statement read in part, ” The CP. Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, psc wishes to state that, the prime suspect in the serial killings at the Akinyele Local Government Area, Moniya Ibadan of Oyo State, one Sunday Shodipe ‘m’ 19 years has escaped.

” The suspect was arrested and paraded along with two others at the Oyo State Police Command on 17th July, 2020 and later charged to court but was remanded in police custody, he escaped from lawful custody on 11/08/2020.

“Consequent upon this, the CP wishes to implore the general public to be on the lookout, arrest and immediately inform the officers and men of the command when sighted for immediate handing over for further action.

“The CP seizes this opportunity to appeal to any member of the public with credible information as to the where about of the assailant not to hesitate in passing same to the Oyo State Police Command to assist in the apprehension of the offender who is now at large.

“The CP further advises angry youths/mobs from taking laws into their hands by carrying out jungle justice when suspected criminals are arrested, but such suspect(s) should be handed over to the police.”