Police recover four bodies dumped in septic tank

Four bodies dumped inside a septic tank in Ikorodu, Lagos by suspected kidnappers, have been exhumed, the police said yesterday.

The bodies included those of two Bureau De Change (BDC) operators- Alhaji Yakubu Musa and Alhaji Hassan Umaru- killed by kidnappers after their abduction on April 14, and those of two others said to be suspected cultists.

The operators were lured by the abductors, who had contacted them that they had a relation who just returned from overseas and wanted to change $10,000.

The Nation had reported the arrest of three members of the syndicate who killed the BDC operators after allegedly collecting N1.6 million from them.

The suspects identified as Oluwatosin Olanrewaju, 40, Mayowa Olawuni alias General and Babatunde Idris (Aloma), upon arrest, confessed to have tied the mouth of the BDC operators, killed them and dumped their bodies in a septic tank in order to cover their tracks.

Police spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said in a statement last night that their bodies and those of two others were recovered from the septic tanks for autopsy.

Giving details on the incident, Elkana said: “They initially requested that payment would be made at a bank in Ikorodu, but on getting to the bank, the suspects moved the operators to an unknown destination and demanded ransom from their friends and relatives.

“Despite paying N1.6 million as ransom, the abductors refused to release the victims and nothing more was heard from them. The victims’ phones remained switched off.

“Police Commissioner Zubairu Muazu detailed the Commander, Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS), to carry out an investigation into the matter with a view to rescuing the victims and arresting the suspects.

“SARS operatives at Ipakodo led by SP Godfrey Soriwei nabbed three suspects, namely Oluwatosin Olanrewaju, 40, Mayowa Olawuni, aka General and Babatunde Idris, aka Aloma. The suspects confessed to the crime and led operatives to their den in Ikorodu where they dumped the bodies in a septic tank.

“Two locally-made single barrel guns with five live cartridges, a locally-made gun with three ammunition, one locally-made revolver pistol with three live ammunition, a cutlass, an axe and charms were recovered from them.

“Investigation showed that the suspects had at various times used the abandoned company as their den, where all their targets are killed and dumped in the sceptic tank. As part of the investigation, four decomposed bodies were today (yesterday) recovered from the septic tank for autopsy.

“The suspects confessed to have killed the  two rival cultists and dumped them in the septic tank before killing the two BDC operators.

“They are assisting the police in an attempt to arrest the fleeing members of the gang. Investigation is on. The suspects will be arraigned after investigation.”