Another Ige Murder Suspect Obtains Favor Under Obasanjos Administration Page 1 of 11

Another Ige Murder Suspect Obtains Favor Under Obasanjo's Administration

By

Bolaji Aluko, PhD

My People:

A top murder suspect, since released, of Chief , is currently an Senator of the Federal Republic of . His name is Otunba Iyiola Omisore. Another top murder suspect, also since released from detention, has now been made by President Obasanjo an Osun State nominee for a yet undisclosed Federal Ministry (maybe of Internal Affairs?) His name is Dr. Adewale Oladipo. What is left is the judiciary: maybe Barrister Kehinde Adesiyan, the lawyer of all murder suspects, should be made a Supreme Court Justice? Or maybe Judge Ige who gave Omisore bail for collapsing in the bathroom just in time to be sworn in as Senator?

Unbelievable!

Osun State must be creeping with "worthy" persons for federal office, all connected somehow with the murder of Uncle Bola - and Festus Keyamo now looks like a veritable prophet.

It is a pity.

Bolaji Aluko

Shaking his head

And Scratching it too.

Senate unveils Obasanjo's 40 ministerial nominees Sufuyan Ojeifo & Ben Agande Wednesday, June 25, 2003

ABUJA — THE Senate yesterday unveiled President ’s 40 nominees for ministerial appointment with five members of his cabinet during his first term making the list submitted to the upper chamber of the National Assembly for screening.

http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/articles/another_ige_murder_suspect_obtai.htm 7/18/2008 Another Ige Murder Suspect Obtains Favor Under Obasanjos Administration Page 2 of 11

The six are former Minister of Industry, Dr. (), former Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Turner Isoun (), former Minister of Education, Prof. Babalola Borishade (), former Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Elder Odion Ugbesia and former Minister for Water Resources, Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari () and former Minister of State for Transport, Alhaji (Bauchi).

The fresh nominees are: Mrs Ngozi Iweala (Abia), Alhaji (Adamawa), Mrs. (Akwa Ibom), Chief (Anambra), Hajia Bintu Ibrahim Musa (Borno), Senator (Cross River), Dr. Roland Oritsejafor (Delta), Mr. (Delta), Chief Franklin Ogbuawu (Ebonyi), Mr. (Junior) (Enugu), Alhaji Musa Mohammed (Gombe), Professor Fabia Osuji (Imo), Alhaji Saleh Shehu (Jigawa), Malam Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Nenadi Esther Usman (Kaduna), Mohammed Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso (Kano), Dr. Saidu Samaila Sambawa (Kebbi).

Others are Prof. (Kogi), Chief (Kwara), Princess Funke Adedoyin (Kwara), Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe (), Alhaji Husaini Zannuwa Akwanga (Nasarawa), Alhaji Abubakar Tanko (Niger), Ambassador (Ogun), Chief (Mrs.) Mobolaji Osomo (Ondo), Dr. Adewale Oladipo (Osun), Mr. Akinlolu Olujimi (Oyo), Mr. Bamidele Dada (Oyo), Engineer Mohammed Musa (Plateau), Dr. Sekibo Abiye (Rivers), Alhaji (Taraba), Senator Lawan Gana Guba (Yobe) and Col. (Zamfara).

Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, who presided over yesterday’s sitting of the Senate announced the names of the nominees before he directed the Clerk to circulate the list to Senators. The screening of the nominees will take place tomorrow consequent upon the release, today, of the procedures for the screening by the senate leadership.

As an important aspect of the screening process, the nominees were quickly informed yesterday by Senator Arthur Nzeribe that they should ensure that they submit their asset declaration forms along with their curriculum vitae, an information which the Senate leadership affirmed.

Ige's Suspected Killer Made Minister P.M. News (Lagos)

June 25, 2003

Lagos

One of the suspects arrested in connection with the murder of Chief Bola Ige, former attorney general of the federation, has been appointed minister-designate by President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The suspect, Dr. Adewale Oladipo, a lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Osun State was on the list of 40 ministerial nominees submitted to the National Assembly for screening by the president. Oladipo is representing Osun State now being ruled by Obasanjo's People's Democratic Party.

http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/articles/another_ige_murder_suspect_obtai.htm 7/18/2008 Another Ige Murder Suspect Obtains Favor Under Obasanjos Administration Page 3 of 11

Oladipo, was one of the 16 suspects arrested by the police shortly after Chief Ige was assassinated in his Bodija, residence on 23 December, 2001.

Other suspects arrested along with Oladipo include Alani Omisore, brother of the former deputy governor, Iyiola Omisore, who in spite of being arraigned for the murder was elected as senator, in an election believed to have been massively rigged. The other suspects were Kunle Alao, Olugbenga Adebayo, a.k.a. Fryo, Jelili Adesiyan, Lambe Oyasope, Hon. Lekan Oyediran, Idowu Ajayi, Awotide Akantioke, Biyi Odunlade, Ayo Adewoyin, Ezekiel Daramola, Adebayo Adegoke, Sgt. Oye Oniyanda, Ganiyu Badmus and Yinka Awosiyan.

Oladipo was detained by the police in for more than seven weeks before he was released.

During police interrogation, Oladipo admitted to detectives that he belonged to the Omisore camp in the factionalised Osun State politics. On whether he participated in the killing of Ige, Oladipo claimed that he neither recruited thugs nor arranged any vehicle for the killing of Ige.

The Ife-born politician told the police further that even though he was aware of the factionalisation of the party, referring to the Alliance for Democracy, he never planned the killing of anyone.

There are lingering public suspicions that the Federal Government knew something about Ige's death.

And what further fuelled the suspicion was the granting of bail to the elected senator, Omisore, standing trial for murder.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/news/20020516news01.html

As Detainees' Families call for Police Report... Ige: Suspects Are Innocent, Says Omisore

Dismisses expulsion from AD as a 'huge joke'

From Razak Yusuf, Ademola Adeyemo in Ibadan and Hammed Bodunrin in Osogbo

The Deputy Governor of Osun State, Otunba Iyiola Omisore yesterday described the suspects being held by the police for alleged complicity in the murder of Chief Bola Ige as "innocent people illegally arrested and unlawfully detained," who

http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/articles/another_ige_murder_suspect_obtai.htm 7/18/2008 Another Ige Murder Suspect Obtains Favor Under Obasanjos Administration Page 4 of 11

should be released "without any further delay."

In the same vein, families of the suspects have called for the immediate release of the police report on the investigations "so that justice will be seen to have been manifestly and transparently done without fear, favour or ill-will."

Only on Monday, the police said they have in their custody 15 people linked to the assassination of the former Justice Minister, adding that the case file had been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice for advice.

Ige was killed in his Ibadan residence December 23, 2001. Principal suspect in the trial, Ademola Adebayo, alias Fryo said in a sworn affidavit which he later denied that Omisore masterminded Ige's assassination.

Omisore in a statement signed by his Chief Protocol Officer, Mr. Tunji Iyanda, said that Ige's death "was greeted with political colouration even by the police," adding "after almost six months, investigation revealed no link with Osun crisis so far."

According to him, "the police hierarchy of today condemned the lack of preliminary investigation to establish the real suspects and not political opponents.

"Our message is who are the real killers of Ige. This is criminal not political. The police must not allow the late Justice Minister die in vain... A realistic and preliminary investigation is never too late," he stated.

Spokesman for the families of the detainees, Barrister Kehinde Adesiyan called for the immediate release to the public the full police report on the investigations.

A spokesman for the families of the suspects, Barrister Kehinde Adesiyan told newsmen at a press conference in Ibadan yesterday that the Oyo State Ministry of Justice should take immediate and prompt action on the case file sent to it.

Adesiyan, who was flanked by both old and young placard carrying sympathisers of their cause also demanded "the immediate and unconditional release of all the detainees in police custody," after their innocence must have been proved. He said the evidence currently available against them are purely circumstantial.

The spokesman said the families have been "watching with keen interest the scenario since December 23, 2001 and by now consider that we could no longer fold our arms and watch the continuing illegal detention of our fathers and breadwinners since December 24, 2001."

Adesiyan said those arrested and still in police custody include Alhaji Oyewale Jelili Adesiyan; Honourable Kunle Alao; Honourable Lekan Oyediran; Honourable Lambe Oyasope; Dr. Wale Oladipo; Comrade Biyi Odunlade and Mr. Ganiyu Badmus Olaoluwa.

Others listed are Prince Ologbenda Adedotun; Mr. Alani Omisore; Mr. Ayo Adewonyi; Mr. Idowu Ajayi and Mr. Funminiyi Ehiyera.

The spokesman also questioned the credibility of the police investigative team headed by the retired Deputy-Inspector General of Police, Mrs. Abimbola Ojomo of the Force, General Investigation Department.

"The team Head, Mrs. Abimbola Ojomo, happens to be the cousin of Justice Atinuke Ige, the wife of late Uncle Bola Ige who from all indications was one of the aggrieved persons with the death of the in-law. She is a personality who from all indications would be emotionally traumatised by the murder of Chief Ige.

"The fall out of this was that she stands to be biased against all persons arrested in connection with the assassination from the very on set.

"It was alleged that she employed men of special anti-robbery squad to track down the culprits instead of using the traditional murder investigators who are of Federal Criminal and Investigation Department (FCID), homicide unit," he said.

Adesiyan said the families of the detainees were "thrilled with the release of the case file to the Oyo State Ministry of Justice for advice.

"With the development, the professional competence of the law officers of the Department of Public Prosecution of the Oyo State Ministry of Justice is put on trial.

http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/articles/another_ige_murder_suspect_obtai.htm 7/18/2008 Another Ige Murder Suspect Obtains Favor Under Obasanjos Administration Page 5 of 11

"We believe that counsels in that department are highly seasoned and of unquestionable integrity.

"They would not allow any external factor to influence their professional sense of judgment."

The families pleaded "with the Ministry of Justice, Oyo State to swallow its pride if they are hampered in the course of studying the file and employ the services of amicus curia comprising of highly seasoned senior lawyers who have experience in criminal justice.'

The families contended that from their own appraisal, "if the report of the police investigation as revealed in this week's edition of a Lagos magazine is accurate and anything to go by, "the evidence against all those recommended for trial are purely circumstantial without any substances and are incapable of getting any charge at all against all the suspects." The police have since denied the magazine report as false.

They appealed to the police to force Governor Bisi Akande of Osun State to disclose the identity of those who killed Ige since he said he knows them.

The families poured invectives on the killers of Ige. "May woes and perpetual torment be the lot of those who masterminded the killing of and the actual killers of Uncle Bola Ige."

They urged the Yoruba Council of Elders to immediately intervene and check all the people in the political crisis in Osun state to stop forthwith, the making of "unguarded statements that are capable of destabilising the Yoruba race."

Omisore also dismissed as "unconstitutional and a huge joke" his expulsion from the Alliance for Democracy (AD) announced by the party leadership Tuesday.

The Deputy Governor said he received the news of his "Kangaroo" expulsion with a pity. A pity in the sense that the National Executive Council (NEC) of AD exchanged decorum and constitutionality for self glorification, tarnished ambition and egocentricity."

He lamented that there was no hope for democracy if he had "no right to fair hearing, no formal notification of anti-party activities, no notice of suspension, no prior information to the national secretariat, no opportunity for defence."

Omisore said he is unpaturbed and urged his friends, associates and supporters to remain calm and go about their normal duties "as truth will always bring down falsehood."

He however vowed that "the AD National Executive Committee will be made to face the full wrath of law and within weeks be compelled by the court of law to apologise. This illegal action is part of grand deception in South-west politics."

Meanwhile, AD will hold its national convention on Oct. 10, a communique issued at the end of its national executive council (NEC) meeting on Tuesday in Abuja revealed.

The communique also confirmed the dissolution of the party's executive committee headed by Mr Patrick Fregene.

Jointly signed by the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Abdulkadir and the National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Rafiu Jafojo, the document said a two-member caretaker committee had been set up to manage the affairs of the party in Delta.

The party also confirmed the expulsion of Omisore from the party for "anti-party activities and other acts inimical to the survival of democracy."

"The decision was taken pursuant to article nine of the party's constitution which empowers either the national convention or the national executive committee of our party to so act,'' the communique stated.

A five-member ad hoc committee on conflict resolution was also set up to look into the dispute between the national chairman and the party's secretary, Dr Chudi Nwiye, with a view to resolving it.

"It is the conviction of the NEC that our party shall emerge from the present crisis even stronger than it had ever been,'' the communique added.

http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/articles/another_ige_murder_suspect_obtai.htm 7/18/2008 Another Ige Murder Suspect Obtains Favor Under Obasanjos Administration Page 6 of 11

On January 14,2002, lawyer Mr. Festus Keyamo, who spoke for Olugbenga Adebayo ("Fryo") at a press conference in Lagos, distributed to reporters copies of an affidavit he swore to on the suspect’s allegations.

The affidavit:

AFFIDAVIT VERIFYING FACTS RECEIVED FROM MY CLIENT

I, Festus Keyamo, male, Nigerian citizen, legal practitioner of Festus Keyamo Chambers, Suites BC 7 & 8, Maryland Shopping Complex, Maryland, do hereby make oath and states as follows:

*That I am a counsel to one Olugbenga Joseph Damola Adebayo (alias Fryo) by virtue of which I am conversant with the facts herein deposed and I have his consent and authority to depose to this affidavit.

*That I have decided to depose to this affidavit and make it public out of my patriotic duty and altruistic desire to ensure that the killers of Chief Bola Ige are brought to book and to supply the missing link to the jigsaw puzzle that has confronted the nation. It is also to ensure that there is no cover-up whatsoever to this very wicked crime.

*That Olugbenga Joseph Damola Adebayo, has briefed me and I hereby believe him:

*That he was declared in the media as the most wanted man in connection with the brutal murder on Sunday, December 23, 2001, of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Chief James Ajibola Ige.

*That he decided to give me these facts freely before he turns himself in, so that he clears his conscience and his hands of all he knows pertaining to the murder.

*That he knows as a fact that the succession of events leading to the brutal murder of Chief Bola Ige started building up slowly till Monday, December 10, 2001, when there was a fracas in the Osun State House of Assembly and further escalated when Chief Bola Ige was attacked at the Palace of the Ooni of Ife during the conferment of chieftaincy title on Chief (Mrs.) Stella Obasanjo, the wife of the President on Saturday, December 15, 2001.

*That after that fateful day, the succession of events quickened in tempo until the eventual murder of Chief Bola Ige.

*That before the 8th of December, 2001, he was Assistant Public Relations Officer of Alliance for Democracy (AD) Iremo (Ward 1) in Ile-Ife Central Constituency.

*That at the same time he remained a part 2 student of the Department of Physical and Health Education, Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife.

*That he first met the late Honourable Odunayo Omobolande Olagbaju, during his campaigns into the House of Assembly in 1999, and they became close friends.

*That he thereafter met Otunba Iyiola Omisore, the Deputy Governor of Osun State through Honourable Odunayo Olagbaju.

*That Honourable Odunayo Olagbaju himself became close to the Deputy Governor because they are both from the same Ife- Central Constituency, and that Otunba Iyiola Omisore, underwrote some of the campaign expenses of Honourable Odunayo Olagbaju

*That he knows as a fact that Honourable Odunayo Olagbaju was the ‘brain box' behind Otunba Iyiola Omisore.

*That he is not too sure of the source of the conflict between the governor and his deputy, but he was regularly updated about it by Honourable Odunayo Olagbaju.

*That sometime last year, the Deputy Governor, Otunba Iyiola Omisore called Honourable Odunayo Olagbaju and himself and told them that he (Omisore) had the mandate of the Presidency to cross over to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he would be fielded as a gubernatorial aspirant in 2003 since he was being frustrated within the AD and particularly because the PDP is so desperate to capture Osun and Oyo states.

http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/articles/another_ige_murder_suspect_obtai.htm 7/18/2008 Another Ige Murder Suspect Obtains Favor Under Obasanjos Administration Page 7 of 11

*That The Deputy Governor therefore told them that preparatory to declaring his intention, all his supporters should immediately start decamping to the PDP.

*That he therefore crossed over to the PDP and was immediately appointed the Organising Secretary of PDP in Iremo (Ward 1) in Ife-Central Constituency and was immediately promised the councillorship of that ward.

*That Honourable Odunayo Olagbaju and all of Omisore's supporters also crossed over and they began to hold regular meetings with the state PDP.

*That on a number of occasions, Otunba Iyiola Omisore assured them that funds from the Presidency are unlimited and that the PDP was surely going to take over control of the state through him.

*That on a number of occasions, Omisore would leave for some trips, telling them that he was on errand for the Presidency. For example, during the fracas in the Osun House of Assembly on the 10th of December, 2001, Otunba Omisore was not around because he told them he was on errand for the Presidency.

*That in the early hours of Monday, December 10, 2001, Honourable Olagbaju rushed to him and informed him that there was a planned impeachment of their political god-father, Otunba Omisore, by forces in the Osun State House of Assembly sympathetic to Governor Bisi Akande.

*That Olagbaju therefore asked him to mobilise students and youths to protest this development since a case was already in court and the rules of the House dictated that no one can debate matters before any court of law.

*That he immediately mobilised people for a peaceful protest, but when they arrived there they saw that dangerous weapons were freely being used by both sides.

*That in fairness and in truth, Honourable Odunayo Olagbaju himself had a gun with him when the other side opened fire on them, though he did not see him use it.

*That after the activities of the House were successfully paralysed, they retreated to the outskirts of the town where Honourable Olagbaju joined them shortly after and told them he still had to go into town to brief Omisore’s other supporters about the success in stalling proceedings on that day.

*That surprisingly, only their supporters were later arrested and charged by the Osun State Police Command, and all supporters of Governor Bisi Akande were all released by the Police.

*That this is because he knows as a fact that the Commissioner of Police of Osun State is very partisan in the crises as he is a close ally of Governor Bisi Akande while the Head of the State Security Services in Osun State is a close ally of Otunba Iyiola Omisore.

*That Otunba Iyiola Omisore told them when he came back that they should be prepared for the battle ahead as he had just been given more money by Abuja to organise more protests to discredit the Alliance for Democracy in the state, and to show that AD is not on the ground.

*That on Saturday, December 15, 2001, Honourable Olagbaju sent word to him about the event at the Palace on that day and said Otunba Omisore had instructed that all of them (his supporters) converge that day in the Palace.

*That at the Palace on that day he was with Otunba Iyiola Omisore with other supporters, except Honourable Olagbaju who later confided in him that he could not make it for spiritual reasons.

*That as Chief Bola Ige was leaving, he was right behind the Deputy Governor, together with his brother, one Kola Omisore. All of them also got up and followed the crowd.

*That Otunba Iyiola Omisore then signalled Kola Omisore, his brother, to get Ige's cap for him and instructed my client to keep the cap and hand it over to him later.

http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/articles/another_ige_murder_suspect_obtai.htm 7/18/2008 Another Ige Murder Suspect Obtains Favor Under Obasanjos Administration Page 8 of 11

*That it was Kola Omisore who then removed the cap of Chief Bola Ige, handed it over to him, but out of excitement he threw it up to catch it, only for it to get stuck on a tree. He left it there.

*That Kola Omisore also removed the glasses of Chief Bola Ige and flung them away as the Deputy Governor did not insist on keeping that one.

*That after this incident, on the same day, Omisore took a select group of them to Hilton Hotel, Ife, where the following people, among others, were present:

*Kunle Alao, ex-Commissioner under Governor Akande and removed for his loyalty to Otunba Omisore.

*One other notable person whom he can simply identify as ‘Jalo.

*The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, who was careful not to be seen with them, was in a room upstairs, but was not physically present with them. He was later to meet with the two people mentioned above.

*That Otunba Omisore celebrated the ‘Ige incident' by declaring surplus food and drinks on the said day in the said hotel.

*That it was at that venue that Otunba Omisore called him aside and said something to the effect that they have done well over Ige but that the job was not yet done. He asked him in Yoruba to name his price to kill Chief Bola Ige. He said it is then that the job would be complete.

*That he was shocked and surprised because he did not see himself as anything more than a political supporter. He resolved he could not do that kind of thing.

*That he tired to hide his surprise when he calmly asked him about the Police Security around Chief Bola Ige.

*That Otunba Omisore calmly placed his hands on him and told him that with Abuja, that would not be too difficult.

*That he did not want to show his disloyalty by openly turning him down so he raised the amount to something about N15 million (fifteen million naira).

*That Omisore offered N5 million (five million naira) but he explained that many others would have to be involved. Omisore told him he was too greedy and told him he could get others for something cheaper.

*That they returned to their tables and did not discuss the matter again and shortly after he left.

*That on Tuesday, the 18th of December, 2001 he went to Court at Oshogbo with Honourable Olagbaju to show their solidarity over the case of Otunba Omisore. The case was adjourned to the 7th of February, 2002.

*That on Wednesday, the 19th of December, 2001, he was with Honourable Olagbaju at a spot known as ‘Old School," drinking. After some time, he asked him to go to Enuwa to get his car, but he returned later to tell him he could not get the car and bade him farewell.

*That a friend then took him to his house.

*That early on Thursday, December 20, 2001, the Personal Assistant to Honourable Olagbaju, one Femi, woke him up at about 6.00 a.m. to break the news to him that shortly after he left them the previous day, Honourable Olagbaju was killed, incidentally opposite the Ife Divisional Police Station where he was drinking in Moore.

*That Femi narrated how Honourable Olagbaju was first shot several times, then to make sure that he did not have charms against gun-shot wounds, he was matcheted several times and then a sledge-hammer was used on his head severally.

*That as this happened the attackers repeatedly told Olagbaju that he could no longer save Omisore from impeachment.

*That both Femi and the other witness to the attack present who is one Olumide Ayilara, gave the identity of the attackers,

http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/articles/another_ige_murder_suspect_obtai.htm 7/18/2008 Another Ige Murder Suspect Obtains Favor Under Obasanjos Administration Page 9 of 11

who they knew very well as follows:

(a) One fellow simply known as ‘Egbegi': This fellow was arrested during the Ife-Modakeke crises. He is a native of Ife and a political thug to Honourable Omidiora, representing Ife-East Constituency in Osun State Assembly. Omidiora in turn is a staunch loyalist of Governor Bisi Akande, and Omidiora championed the planned impeachment of Omisore. The said Egbegi stays in Ondo Road, Ile-Ife.

(b) The second attacker was one ‘Olaolu'. He was arrested with guns during the Ife-Modakeke crises. He is a political thug to the Ife-Central Local Government Chairman, Honourable Kunle Adeniji, who in turn is a staunch supporter of Governor Bisi Akande. Olaolu stays in Isale-Agbara in Ile-Ife.

(c) Somebody suspected to be one ‘Ayo' who stays in Isale-Agbara in Ile-Ife. lThey then mobilised youths who stormed the residence of these individuals, since the Police failed to act or make any arrest.

*That in the house of the said Egbegi, a list of those as approved by Chief Bisi Akande to be eliminated was recovered. Honourable Olagbaju was number one and his name was number four. The Ife-East Local Government Chairman was number two and one Biyi Odunlade was number three.

*That the said list is with one Dr. Wale Oladipo.

*That up till now, strangely, the Osun State Police Command has not arrested these named attackers who murdered Honourable Olagbaju.

*That on the 21st of December, 2001, now two days before Chief Bola Ige was murdered, he went very early to Otunba Omisore's official quarter at Osogbo between 8.00-9.00 a.m.

*That he went in company of Shehu, his younger brother, and with one car belonging to one Kunle Alao.

*That he went there to ask for Omisore's police orderly to follow him to Honourable Olagbaju's house to take Olagbaju's Alsatian dogs and puppies, since there was no one to feed them, as Honourable Olagbaju's wife and kids had been quickly evacuated to Ketu in .

*That for the second time, Otunba Omisore called him aside and asked if he was now prepared to do the job for the N5 million since his friend was now dead. He told him he could not for that price.

*That at that stage, the Assistant Inspector-General in charge of that zone, whose name he cannot recall, came to meet with Otunba Omisore, and he quickly dismissed them saying they had something urgent and important to discuss.

*That he states and restates again that even though he was contacted to do the job, he was not the one that pulled the trigger.

*That they should ask Omisore who and who he got with the approval of Abuja, when he refused.

*That the following are the names and telephone numbers of those to whom he often related with politically in Osun State.

(a) Otunba Iyiola Omisore - 035-242722

(b) Asiwaju of Ife - 036-233007

(c) Chairman Ife East Local Government - 036-233748

(d) Honourable Odunayo Olagbaju's father - 036-231285

(e) Dr. Wale Oladipo - 036-233638.

http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/articles/another_ige_murder_suspect_obtai.htm 7/18/2008 Another Ige Murder Suspect Obtains Favor Under Obasanjos Administration Page 10 of 11

*That I swear to this affidavit in good faith.

Sworn to at the High Court Registry, Ikeja this 11th day of January 2002

*Keyamo speaks

Explaining his own position on the issue, Mr. Keyamo said: "The murder of Chief Ige is one political murder too many in this country.

"The hue and cry that has greeted his murder, the swearing and cursing by both the high and low, the shock and despair of the nation and the continuous pledge by those in authority and the police to find the killers gives certain feeling of de javu.

"After all of these, the nation’s attention is bound to be diverted by the myriad of problems that confronts us. Suspects may begin to die mysteriously like in the case of Chief Alfred Rewane. Various theories will be propounded without finding the killer like in the case of Dele Giwa. Even the Oputa panel left more questions than answers in Chief Abiola’s case. As the years roll by, the list of unresolved murders continue to heighten. Will Chief Ige’s own end up like that?

"This is the sole and principal reason for organising this conference before I hand over the prime suspect in the case of Chief Ige to the police. The gentleman is hale and hearty. So, we do not want any mysterious death in detention. He will not be caught as a result of a phoney shoot-out that will leave him dead. He must not be tortured to change his statements. The story he has told me is lucid and clear and logical with dates, names and places that are verifiable.

"I have in turn proceeded to the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja division to swear to these facts on oath so that the facts will be contained in a public judicial document that can be freely used without any fear of defamation. It is also for the reasons that I have to say it as it is, because I stand that risk of going to jail if I change the facts on oath.

"Those who argue that I am jeopardising police investigation by making this public will do well to remember that secret investigations in the past have left many murders unresolved. Perhaps, we should change our strategies. Let the Ige murder investigation be an open one."

Speaking more on how the suspect showed up, Mr. Keyamo said, "he (the suspect) came to me because he felt abandoned by everybody. He thought he had nobody in the world and believed they have abandoned him. He knows all the facts. Those that did it on his finger-tips. We will release evidence in stages because from the details, we knew the identities of those who masterminded the killings. On the issue of ransom, I have done my patriotic duties. They should keep their money. We have had too many murderers in this country.

"We must accord the same attention to the murder of Hon. Odunayo Olagbaju and that both cases be combined and given to the same team of investigators."

He also recommended:

*The Commissioner of Police, Osun State and the head of the State Security Services (SSS) must be removed immediately and replaced with courageous, dedicated and neutral officers.

*That the role of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in-charge of the zone be investigated.

*All Nigerians must rise up with one voice to call for the resignation and trial of Chief Bisi Akande.

Mr. Keyamo who read his prepared statement together with the sworn-affidavit before presenting the prime suspect to the press at his Maryland Shopping Complex office recommended amongst other things for the police:

*To interrogate Governor of Osun State and his deputy, Otunba Iyiola Omisore for the murders of Hon. Olagbaju and Chief

http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/articles/another_ige_murder_suspect_obtai.htm 7/18/2008 Another Ige Murder Suspect Obtains Favor Under Obasanjos Administration Page 11 of 11

Ige.

*The Senate must immediately refer to the Chief Justice of Nigeria for investigation, an allegation in writing indicting the President and his vice, for the murder of Chief Bola Ige and for promoting the feud in Osun State, all in a bid to win the state for PDP. If proven, they should be impeached.

*That the PDP must be careful in their blind quest to wrestle power from the AD in the West because the attempt by the NPN to do that to UPN led to the collapse of the second republic.

Mr. Keyamo ended his speech with a poser which he tagged: "The last million-naira question." According to him, "immediately after the murder of Chief Bola Ige, and even before police arrived at the scene, not to talk of commencing investigation, the President was to rush and summon the Osun State Governor and his deputy over the murder. How did the President arrive at this conclusion?"

The suspect who wore a white sutan and clutched a black bible to his chest without shoes appeared unruffled after he was presented to the press. He, however, told anxious reporters that, "everything my solicitor said should be taken as true. I made the statements and gave the facts together with dates. If you need more information, go to my lawyer."

He was later driven in Mr. Keyamo’s grey Volvo 24 GL car with plate number JC 159KJA to Force Criminal Investigation office (FCID), Alagbon Annex in Ikoyi were they were ushered into the office of the Head of the investigating team, Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Abimbola Ojomo who later came out with a terse statement, saying: "I want to express the Assistant Inspector-General of Police "D" Department’s appreciation for tremendous cooperation the police has received form the media since the inception of the investigation.

"Some segment of the media has been in constant touch with us giving us useful hints and even when this suspect was declared wanted you all gave it a wide coverage.

"Let me state that if not for the mass media we will not know that the wanted person is in the custody of Mr. Festus Keyamo. Even though we later received a letter from him to that effect.

"We have, however, taken over the suspect and investigations into his involvement will commence immediately. You will be kept informed.

"Once again thank you for your cooperation and we pray you maintain it, please."

June 2003

http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/articles/another_ige_murder_suspect_obtai.htm 7/18/2008