Where is Charles Ojo Owie, the notorious criminal arrested by the Police in
February 2010 for his involvement in the kidnap and death of the Attah of
Aiyede, Oba Adeleye Orisagbemi, Provost of College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti,
Dr. Gabriel Olowoyo and others? That is the one billion naira question that top
officials of the Nigeria Police, especially the Inspector General of Police
(IGP), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar must answer.
Another question that the police must answer is the alleged involvement of
Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and former governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose
in the spate of kidnapping, murder, armed robbery and other sundry crimes
witnessed in the State between 2008 and 2010, as revealed in a Police Crime
Report.
Both Fayemi and Fayose worked together during the 2009 rerun governorship
election and they both ganged up against Chief Segun Oni when he was governor.
The Crime Report, which was exclusively obtained from a highly dependable
police source was made to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) by the former
Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sabo Ibrahim Ringim.
According to the Crime Report, the duo of Fayemi and Fayose are closely
connected to Charles Ojo Owie, who was arrested in Lokoja, Kogi State over the
kidnap and death of the Attah of Aiyede, Oba Adeleye Orisagbemi, Provost of
College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Dr. Gabriel Olowoyo and others.
The report with reference number CR:3100/EKS/SHQ/VOL.T1/329 and dated April 2,
2010, which was titled: “The criminal escapades of Ojo Owie a.k.a Charles Ojo,
killer and his dare devil gang in Ekiti State was accompanied with pictures of
Charles Ojo, pictures of his notorious gang members, the axe Charles Ojo used
to kill SP Mohammed Manua with the late SP’s blood on the axe and cutlass
marked exhibit used in killing the policemen by Charles and his gang. The
question is; where then is Charles Ojo?
It should be recalled that after the kidnap and death of Oba Orisagbemi, Dr.
Olowoyo and others on January 30, 2010, Charles Ojo and three other members of
his gang, who sustained serious injuries in the accident that claimed the lives
of their victims, were arrested while receiving treatment at Lokoja General
Hospital, Kogi State. They were transferred to Federal Special Anti Robbery
Squad, Abuja.
Charles Ojo, who was identified by members of his gang to be their leader and
the killer of SP. Mohammed Manua O/C SARS and two other innocent men from SARS,
Ekiti State on October 7, 2009 allegedly broke down and admitted that he was
the most wanted Charles Ojo. He was said to have added that his time had come
to an end and that he was prepared to talk on his criminal activities including
killing of the Policemen.
Ironically, nothing has been heard as to the whereabouts of Charles since he
was arrested. He was not charged to court and there was no official statement
from the police as to whether or not he died in detention.
“After the arrest of Charles Ojo on the 30/01/2010, one Kayode O.O. Adewunmi of
No. 7, Ayetoro Street, off Oba Adesinda Road, Akure Ondo State, sent in one
vital information as regards the unholy relationship between Charles Ojo, Ayo
Fayose and Dr. Kayode Fayemi both former Governor and Gubernatorial Candidate
in Ekiti State respectively. He disclosed that during the regime of Ayodele
Fayose as the Governor of Ekiti State, Charles Ojo was appointed into the Local
Government system on the instruction of the then Governor to assist him in viz.
“To carry out some dirty and unprintable acts; Mr. Fayose was not relating to
Charles directly but through Goke Olatunji his Personal Assistant.
“That Charles Ojo assassinated Mr. Kehinde Fasubaa by order of Mr. Fayose to
discredit the ruling party (PDP) in Ekiti Government.
“Charles Ojo visited Isan Ekiti last year to meet with Dr. Kayode Fayemi of
Action Congress (AC) Gubernatorial candidate.
“Those threatening to make Ekiti ungovernable use Charles group.
“After his notorious activities, Charles used to run to Ghana for cover and Dr.
Kayode Fayemi has house in Ghana,” the report read in part.
While giving details of Charles Ojo’s criminal activities in Ekiti State, the
police commissioner said; “On the 2/8/2009 at about 1810hrs SP, Mohammed Manua,
the O/C SARS Ekiti State Command, CPL. Wasiu Olatunbosun and CPL. Simeon
Obadero also attached to SARS, left the State Headquarters on an enquiry to
Ilawe Ekiti in a Hilux Pickup vehicle on approaching the Fajuyi Park round
about in Ado-Ekiti, a gang of four armed robbers suspected to be Charles Ojo
and gang, in a tinted Camry Car, overtook them and forced them to a halt and
simultaneously opened fire on them, killing the three Policemen; while the
robbers went away with the three AK 47 rifles and the ammunition in the
possession of the Late Policemen all are now arrested for the kidnapping of
Attah Alyede. The investigation revealed that Charles Ojo led the operation in
revenge of some of his gang members who were arrested by SARS. It was after
this insident that Charles Ojo was declared wanted by the Police, Ekiti State
Police Command.
“On the 3/8/2009, at about 0730hrs, a gang of gunmen at Ikole Ekiti kidnapped
one Barrister Olaiya, R.K, The Chairman Trade Union Congress Ekiti State and
his wife, Barrister Mrs. Franca Olaiya, Chief Olayode Olusola and two others,
all of who were coming to Ado-Ekiti in a Toyota Corolla Car, with Reg. No. EK
621 AO1, Chassis No. AHTLA52 E403012797, Ash Colour. Victims were taken to
Otolomi Hotel in Ikaran, Ondo State, where they met other hostages, including
three Local Government Chairmen from Kogi State. The Chairmen were released on
8/8/2009 after the payment of about N20 million as ransom.
“Barrister Olaiya in his statement confirmed that one of the kidnappers who was
later identified as Ojo Owie Charles now detained by Federal SARS told them
that they were the gang that killed the O/C SARS and two (2) others Policemen
attached to Ekiti State SARS. The where about of Barrister Olaiya R. Ks vehicle
Toyota Corolla still unknown. This Ojo Charles Owie can explain what happened
to the vehicle if thoroughly interrogated. While running in high speed to avoid
arrest, they had an encounter with the Police in Lokoja where one of their
members was killed and one of the AK 47 rifles snatched from the O/C SARS and
team was recovered. The exhibit AK 47 & right now with Lokoja Police
Command.”
Concluding his report, CP Ringim said; “Ojo Owie a.k.a. Charles Ojo is a
terror, a guillotine, a killer and a dare devil criminal of Lawrence Anini’s
extraction.
“Though he is a native of Edo State but he was born and bred up in Eklti State
but later took to armed robbery, kidnapping and at times being hired by
politicians to assassinate their political partners. The arrest of Charles Ojo
was a tremendous success not only by the Ekiti Police but the Force in general.
His thorough investigation will lead to move revelations of other innocent
Policemen and members of the public he was hired to kill.”
It should be recalled that in the last seven years, Ekiti had witnessed series
of politically motivated killings with police unable to bring any one to
justice.
The latest of such killings was the murder of Ayo Murphy Jeje in Erijiyan-Ekiti
on March 30, 2013. Others are; Abiola Teslim Yusuf, (September 2012), Chief
Adeleye Awolumate (November 2010), Kehinde Fasuba (January, 2010), Attah of
Aiyede, Oba Adeleye Orisagbemi (January 29, 2010), Acting provost, College of
Education, Ikere Ekiti, Dr Gabriel Olowoyo (January 29, 2010), Dr Ayodeji
Daramola (August 2006) and Tunde Omojola (May 28, 2005).
