Crime & Court
Oyo: Family of slain LAUTECH final year student, Adediran plead for justice
Family of James Adesoji Adediran, a slain final year student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, who was reported to have hanged himself two years ago have called the Nigerian Police to provide the result of their findings of his death.
A member of the family, Pastor Anthony Jaiyeade Adediran made the call while speaking with journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital during their follow up investigation on the slain final year student of the Urban and Regional planning Department of LAUTECH, who was allegedly killed two years ago.
According to Pastor Adediran, the police have not been able to come out with anything substantial on the matter despite all the promises and this have left the whole family to live in fear.
He recalled that prior to the death of Adesoji, the father who is a clergy man and one of the leaders of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria PFN, a major block under the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN in his local government have received series of threats and warning from different quarters to desist from talking against the government and its policies, especially in the area of safety of lives of the citizens who were constantly being killed and many churches set ablaze by herdsmen and other criminally minded people in various parts of the country.
Pastor Adediran explained further that Adesoji’s mother, Mrs. Funmi Adediran as a political activist and a member of the Accord Party (AP) had also been invited several times to join the All Progressive Congress (APC) or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), an invitation she had vehemently resisted each time it comes up and this according to him didn’t boil down well with them.
The matter which the police said they have been investigating had not yielded any positive result as no one have been arrested nor invited for questioning by the police. However, this development has shattered the family of Adesoji apart as they now live in perpetual fear as they don’t know who is next on the list of the killers among the family members.
Speaking on the insinuation that he took his life, many of the students of the school who were his colleagues debunked this, saying Adesoji was a jovial easy going gentle fellow who showed no sign of depression or any pressure whatsoever either academically, socially or otherwise.
He was almost done with his final year project and he never complained of anything. We are a clique and we eat together; it was all fun, until we found his corpse”, said his friends.
It was gathered that the corpse was deposited in a mortuary for autopsy but the family of the deceased revealed that Adediran’s body was released for burial without conducting any autopsy on him.
SP Olugbenga Fadeyi, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), said though investigation is on going on the matter, but he knows little or nothing about it as the incident happened long before he assumed office.
He, however assured that investigation is ongoing on it as the case must have been transfered to the Criminal Investigation Department CID, Iyaganku Ibadan.
Also, officers at the Homicide department of the CID, Iyaganku Ibadan, informed that they can neither talk on the matter nor readily trace the file as they were newly transfered to the section.
But, the command’s spokesman, SP Fadeyi advised that should the family have any new clue to the matter, they should just come up with it as it will go a long way to assist the police in their investigation.
Adesoji who was described as a jovial, funny and easy going promising young man was murdered in his hostel room on March 18 2017.
The family however concluded by expressing hope that the case of the gruesome murder of the young Adesoji Adediran will not go the way of other high profile killings in the country, such as that of late Pa Alfred Rewane, Chief Bola Ige, Dele Giwa, Marshal Harry, Funsho Williams Dipo Dina among others which had been on for years now without any conclusive investigation or notable prosecution, so that other family members can live in peace.
A Magistrate Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, has granted human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, bail to the tune of ₦30 million. The court also mandated Farotimi to provide three sureties with landed properties within its jurisdiction.
As part of the bail conditions, the court ordered Farotimi to refrain from granting media interviews and to submit his international passport to the authorities. The case has been adjourned to February 13, 2025, for further proceedings.
Farotimi, who had been remanded at a correctional center in Ado Ekiti, arrived at the court premises on Friday at approximately 9:45 a.m. He was conveyed in a prison van accompanied by a police escort. Upon arrival, the embattled lawyer raised his hands in appreciation of a cheering crowd that had gathered outside the court to show their solidarity.
The human rights advocate is facing prosecution for allegedly defaming a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Afe Babalola. His arrest has ignited widespread public outcry, with many Nigerians and civil society groups condemning the action and demanding his immediate release.
Farotimi’s detention and subsequent arraignment have fueled debates about the boundaries of free speech and defamation laws in Nigeria, with critics arguing that the case may stifle dissenting voices in the country.
Police operatives have apprehended a 25-year-old man, Enediong Bassey, in possession of a pump-action gun concealed in a bag of rice at Nkwelle-Ezunaka.
The suspect, a native of Ikono Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, was arrested on November 22, 2024, at 6:38 pm following credible intelligence.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra State Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga.
The statement revealed that officers attached to the 3-3 Divisional Headquarters, led by CSP Emeka Obi, acted swiftly to intercept Bassey.
During interrogation, he admitted to being a member of a local vigilante group but confessed to plans of absconding with the weapon to join a criminal gang involved in armed robbery and other illicit activities.
“Given the above and following other complaints and unprofessional conduct by some security outfits and vigilante members, the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, in line with the principles of community policing, reiterates the calls for profiling of security operatives assisting the police and other security agencies on anti-crime operations to improve safety in the state,” the statement read.
In light of the situation, the Commissioner of Police has directed the immediate transfer of the suspect to the command’s anti-robbery squad for a thorough investigation.
The Anambra State Police Command reassured residents of its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of lives and property, urging vigilance and collaboration with law enforcement.
Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered an accelerated trial of four bloggers accused of defaming and cyberstalking the management of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), including its Group CEO, Mr. Segun Agbaje.
The defendants—Precious Eze, Olawale Rotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami—face a 10-count amended charge for allegedly publishing false and defamatory content about GTCO on various social media platforms.
During proceedings on November 13 and 14, Justice Faji dismissed their bail applications, citing the severity of the charges, which carry potential penalties of up to 14 years in prison.
The judge specifically noted that Precious Eze had previously been charged with a similar offense in another court and was on bail at the time of the alleged actions, demonstrating a likelihood of reoffending.
Justice Faji emphasized the destabilizing impact such actions could have on the banking sector, pointing to the cross-border nature of some of the allegations.
“The regulatory oversight of institutions like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should not be undermined by false claims,” the judge remarked, referencing GTCO’s CBN-approved audited statements.
At the previous hearing, defense counsel Afolabi Adeniyi had urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, arguing that the defendants were ready to stand trial.
However, the prosecution counsel, Chief Aribisala, SAN, opposed the motion, raising concerns about the defendants potentially absconding and stressing the need for a swift trial.
In his ruling, Justice Faji rejected the defense’s plea, ordering an expedited trial to address the case’s significant implications for the financial industry.
The trial has been adjourned to December 10 and 12 for continuation.
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