By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

Officers of State Investigation Department of Kwara state police command have recovered the severed head of the deceased motorcyclist Rafiu Akano thrown into the river, even as three suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Vanguard Correspondent reliably gathered that the victim who just bought a brand new motorcycle was lured, last Monday evening, by one of his customers, Sunday Agbenke who contracted him to ride himself and Peter Samuel to a destination.

It was further gathered that while on their way, right in a bushy area around Okeoyi area of Ilorin, Sunday stopped the motorcyclist that Peter wanted to urinate.

Vanguard Correspondent also gathered that immediately Peter disembarked from the Motorcycle, the third suspect Jeremiah Tiozinda came from the back and violently hit the motorcyclist with a big plank on his head.

The motorcyclist who reportedly fell off to the ground staggered and struggled to escape, but the three of them overpowered him, and Peter Samuel thereafter pulled the sharp cutlass he was hiding to severe his head and threw it into the nearby river.

The rusling from the incident reportedly attracted the team of vigilantes which sighted them while bolting away with the motorcycle, and gave them a chase.

Spokesperson of the state police command, Ejire Adeyemi Adetoun confirmed the development in a statement issued to journalists in ilorin on Saturday.

The statement reads: “The Kwara State Police Command wishes to inform the public on an important breakthrough wherein the police investigators at the SCID Ilorin, have recovered the dismembered part of the remains of late Rafiu Akao (M) 34yrs who was brutally murdered by Peter Samuel (M), Jeremiah Tiozinda (M), and Sunday Agbenke (M) on 4th November, 2024.

“All three suspects have confessed to the crime, with the motive to dispossess the late Rafiu of his commercial motorcycle.”

The statement added that ,”Sunday Agbenke gave out the phone contact of the motorcycle rider to Peter Samuel to lure him to an undisclosed location.

“While on their way, the rider was stopped that Peter Samuel wanted to ease himself giving way for Jeremiah Tiozinda to hit him on the head with a stick.

“The rider fell off his motorcycle to the ground, he further struggled to escape but was eventually overpowered by Peter Samuel and Jeremiah Tiozinda.

“Peter Samuel brought out a cutlass and severed the head while Jeremiah Tiozinda threw the dismembered part and cutlass into the stream; dashing away with his motorcycle.”

The statement added that,”the noise of the dastardly act caught the ears of the Vigilante on patrol, who gave them a hot chase. The culprits abandoned the motorcycle and fled into the bush.

“Unfortunately the mobile phone of Peter Samuel fell off at the scene of crime, leading to their arrest by police detectives. The suspects will be arraigned in court as soon as investigations have been concluded.”

The Commissioner of Police, Kwara state police command CP Victor Olaiya in the statement also reiterated his commitment to safeguarding the lives and properties of Kwarans while also asserting the enforcement on the restriction of movement of motorcycle and tricycle riders from 9pm to 6am daily.

He warned that anyone found violating the law would be prosecuted accordingly.