Policeman kills self, wife, six others in Ogun

 

It was a scary scene yesterday in Eleweran, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, as a Police Corporal, Sunkanmi Ogunbiyi, shot dead his wife, Corporal Oluwatosin Faremi, and six others.

Ogunbiyi critically injured three people before killing himself with own riffle.

Instead of returning his official AK – 47 riffle to the police armoury after a night shift, it was learnt that went home with it yesterday around 7:05am and shot his wife, who was about to leave for work.

The late Faremi was attached to Obantoko Divisional Police Headquarters.

Ogunbiyi spared his two children, who were dressed for school, and went to the front of their compound, where he shot a commercial motorcyclist simply identified as Kunle, who was there to pick up Ogunbiyi’s wife and children.

As residents ran to safety, Ogunbiyi dashed into the apartment of his landlady, popularly called Iya Basira, who was sleeping on a mat and rained bullets on her. She died immediately.

The landlady’s two sons, Taofeek, an SSII pupil of Nawar-u-Deen Grammar School, Obantoko and his elder brother, Sikiru, were not spared. Ogunbiyi shot them too.

The woman’s daughter, Basira, and her two-year-old daughter, Jesutofunmi, suffered a similar fate. They were killed by Ogunbiyi’s bullets.

When the dust finally settled, eight persons, including Ogunbiyi, were dead. The police gave the figure as six.

Three survivors, who sustained gunshot injuries during the attack, were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba. The remains of the dead were taken to the morgue of the State Hospital, Ijaiye.

An eyewitness said the late Ogunbiyi had warned the late Iya Basira several times to stop accommodating his wife and children whenever they have a misunderstanding.

Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi described the incident as “unfortunate”, adding that the late Ogunbiyi had been having “domestic conflicts” with his wife.

Adejobi said: “The unfortunate incident occurred this morning when the corporal, who had been having domestic conflicts with his wife, shot and killed six persons with his rifle, including his wife, Woman Corporal Oluwatosin Faremi; his landlady; a two-year-old baby girl; two males and one female. Three persons were injured and are receiving treatment at the FMC. The said corporal, having killed these persons, shot himself dead immediately.

“The Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye, described the incident as unfortunate. He has visited the scene with other senior police officers in the command to assess the situation and sympathise with the relations of the deceased and members of the Akingbala Ifelodun Estate in Eleweran Area, Abeokuta, where the incident took place.

“The command has commenced thorough forensic investigation into the killing and promised to make sure justice is done in the matter. The commissioner of police appeals to the public to perceive the incident as one of the unfortunate social mishaps and not to judge the police based on it. The police are committed to the protection of life and property and will not tolerate violation of people’s rights.”

Source: THE NATION