It
is going to be a tough time for two members of the Vigilante Service of
Ogun State (VSO), Ismaila Jimoh (aka Bintin) and Hassan Olatunde who
allegedly killed a businessman.
Two members of the Vigilante Service of Ogun State (VSO), Ismaila Jimoh (aka Bintin) and Hassan Olatunde
Two members of the Vigilante Service of Ogun State (VSO), Ismaila
Jimoh (aka Bintin) and Hassan Olatunde, have been arrested in connection
with the death of a 28-year-old businessman, Tayo Olatunbosun.
According to Punch, Jimoh and Olatunde were said to have
apprehended Olatunbosun in the Adiyan area of Ogun State on Saturday for
allegedly stealing a hairdryer.
After apprehending him, they brutally beat the businessman with
charms and later took him to the Agbado Police Station around 10pm.
The police later released Olatunbosun on bail. He was subsequently
admitted to a hospital in the community, where he gave up the ghost on
Sunday.
In the wake of the death, angry youths, who claimed the victim was
returning from a party when he was arrested, took to the street and
vandalised the VSO office.
The mob also reportedly set four motorcycles ablaze.
It took a combined team of operatives of the Agbado division and
the Area Command, Sango, was deployed in the area to restore peace.
A resident, Bashiru Irewole, said residents were pained by
Olatunbosun’s death, urging the state government to curtail the excesses
of the vigilance group.
He said, “Contrary to the stealing allegation, the man was
returning from a party when members of the VSO stopped him. They
seriously tortured him. He eventually died yesterday (Sunday) in the
afternoon. He traded in accessories such as phones and laptops. He was
not a thief. They just wasted his life.
“His friends attacked the VSO office. They burnt a motorcycle
in front of the office and moved to the Olomowewe area in Adiyan, where
they burnt three motorcycles parked by the roadside. There was confusion
everywhere.
“Through the intervention of the police, the situation was
brought under control on Sunday evening. Policemen have been patrolling
the community.”
Another resident, who did not want his name in print, said there
might have been a disagreement between Olatunbosun and the vigilantes
prior to the incident.
“Those that killed him must be brought to book. I don’t think they beat him because he stole the dryer or not.
“They probably had a disagreement with him before now and they
decided to deal with him. They beat him with charms and later took him
to the station,” he said.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the two vigilantes were later arrested by
the Agbado division. A police source said the hairdryer purportedly
recovered from Olatunbosun was taken to the station.
“By the time the vigilantes brought him to the station with the dryer, he had been seriously injured.
“He was released to go and treat himself, but he died in the hospital,” the source added.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abimbola
Oyeyemi, said the suspects were being investigated for murder and would
be charged to court afterwards.
“The two vigilantes in question are in custody. The
Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, has ordered that they should be
transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation
and Intelligence Department for proper investigation. Even if he was
caught stealing, that does not mean he should be killed,” he added.
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