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Aborode’s murder: 80-year-old suspect arraigned, remanded in police custody
By Bisi Oladele, Ibadan
An octogenarian and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Igangan, Ibarapa area of Oyo State, identified simply as Pa Olawuwo, has been remanded in police custody over the gruesome murder of business man Dr Fatai Aborode.
Pa Olawuwo was arraigned in court in Ibadan, the state capital yesterday, having been arrested on Thursday and taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the state police command.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Mr Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed his arrest and remand.
Aborode returned from the United States (US) to establish a farm in Igangan. He employed many workers from the town.
His murder triggered protests by youths in the area last year as it was regarded as one murder too many.
The angry youths had fingered criminal herders in Aborode’s killing.
In a protest to the office of Governor Seyi Makinde, the youths urged the governor to improve security in the area, saying they were losing many of their brothers and sisters to killers.
But Makinde brought a new twist to Aborode’s killing when he visited Aborode’s father in his Ibarapa home in January.
The governor said Pa Aborode told him that his son’s murder might have been politically motivated. He, therefore, directed security agencies to properly investigate the incident.
The governor had visited Ibarapa to douse tension in the aftermath of Sunday Igboho’s visit during which Fulani herders fled for fear of being attacked by the activist and his followers.
Igboho had earlier visited the head of Fulani community in the area, Soliu Abdulkadri, advising him to rein in the criminals within his micro community or risk being dislodged from the area.
He returned in January to carry out his threat, a development that jolted the entire country.
Pa Olawuwo was arrested and brought to Ibadan on Thursday. Details of the charges pressed against him were still sketchy as at press time.
