Masquerade killer of Islamic cleric on the run

By DAUD OLATUNJI
ABEOKUTA-Indications  emerged Wednesday that the Masquerade that allegedly shot dead  an Islamic Cleric Lateef Amusa  in Ijaye in the area of Abeokuta metropolis during Egungun festival has run away.

The police Commissioner in the State, Ikemefuna Okoye told newsmen  at the command Headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, that contrary to the media report that  the masquerade was part of the people arrested, saying the command   did not have the masquerade known as ‘Leyin Aponle’ in her  custody.

It would be recalled that a  Muslim cleric, Lateef Amusa was reportedly killed  by a masquerade, the development that led to the burning down of the masquerade’s family house.

The  police command had said  that it had  arrested four suspects, including a masquerade over the death of Amusa .

While parading 16 suspects for various offences, the Commissioner said  only three human beings have been arrested for the incident.

“As an African,no one can arrest Egungun,only human beings that commits an offence will be arrested.

“We don’t have masquerade in our custody.We have arrested human beings and they would be charged to court after the completion of investigation,”he said.

But,when Vanguard interviewed  one of the suspects paraded by the police for the murder, Ajani Olabimtan,he claimed that the masquerade was a Lagos based bus conductor and had run away after the incident.

According to him, the masquerade was my boy, I am transporter in Lagos, I followed Kazeem to Abeokuta to celebrate the festival.

“He has run away. In fact I came to tell the police about the incident before I was arrested. It was not the masquerade that killed the man, it was done by some cultists who rammed into our procession.

Meanwhile, the police have paraded six kidnappers,three armed robbers, five suspected murdered and two burglars.

The commissioner while addressing newsmen said all the suspects committed the offence in various places across the state,saying, all of them would be dragged to court.

While speaking on the ammunition recovered, Okoye said one Ak 47 and 20 round of ammunition among others have been recovered by some hoodlums who he said had escaped police arrest.

He however said, one Abdul Rasaq Salam has been arrested for allegedly killing one Ajibade Olatunde during a scuttle.

The Commissioner also paraded one Micheal Osho for armed robbery after dispossessing one Bukola Akani of her N58,000 and one handset.