The police have arrested a suspect in the gruesome murder of a former official of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kehinde Fatinoye, and his wife Bukola on New Year’s day in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The police spokesperson in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said an investigation was ongoing to unravel the killers and their motive.
Mr Oyeyemi confirmed the incident as a case of suspected assassination.
“It is true that a couple was killed and set ablaze at their residence in Abeokuta, shortly after they returned from Cross Over Service.
”This is a clear case of assassination and we are not leaving any stone unturned to unravel those behind the killings.
“One person has been arrested by our operatives in connection to the incident. We will get to the root of the matter, as investigation has since begun.
“The incident happened after 12 in the morning.” Mr Oyeyemi said.
PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported how the couple died in a mysterious fire. The police further confirmed the incident to be a case of assassination.
Background
In the early hours of Sunday, unknown assailants intruded into the house of the couple, killing them both and setting their bodies on fire.
While the husband worked with the CBN, the wife was until her death a principal confidential secretary at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).
The New Year tragedy occurred at the Ibara housing estate, a choice estate where many influential persons in the state live.
The house where the couple was killed is less than one kilometre from the presidential lodge where Governor Dapo Abiodun has lived since he assumed office.
The building is also a stone’s throw from the residence of the immediate past governor who is now the senator for Ogun central district, Ibikunle Amosun.
A source, who does not want his name mentioned for security reasons, said the couple’s son and maid were also taken away.
When our reporter visited the house, there was a crowd of sympathisers.
Reacting to the incident, the spokesperson of FUNAAB, Kola Adepoju, described the death of the couple as ‘gruesome and a rude shock’ to the university community.
Mr Adepoju, while conveying the message of the acting vice chancellor of the university, Olusola Kehinde, appealed to “ security agencies to bring the “perpetrators of the dastard act to justice as soon as possible.”
A cousin to the late Mr Fatinoye, Ambrose Somide, said he could not fathom what was responsible for the dastardly act.
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