AMERICAN VARSITY UNDERGRADUATE KILLED BY CULTISTS IN LAGOS

On March 18, 2013, 26-year-old Adeolu Otenaike left Benin Republic with his newly acquired Honda Baby Boy car to come to Nigeria to celebrate with his friends but his celebration was turned into mourning as he was killed two days later in the Mushin area of Lagos.

Otenaike, who was a student of North American University, Houdegbe, was in company with five of his colleagues when the incident occurred. On March 20, 2013, after hosting friends near his parents’ residence on Ojelade Street, Mushin, some youths, suspected to be cultists, attacked and killed him.

A witness, who craved anonymity, said, “Otenaike and his friends left his parents’ home and went to a club on Jibowu Street to celebrate further. They met some other friends in the club where they remained till almost 12am. “When it was about midnight, the deceased decided to escort his friends but when they got to Empire area, they were accosted by some gangsters. The gangsters were led by one Taiye and I think Otenaike had a misunderstanding with them a few years ago.

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“The gangsters grabbed Otenaike and beat up his friends, dispossessing them of all their valuables. One man, who was later identified as a Keke NAPEP operator, told the hoodlums to take Otenaike beneath the bridge not too far from Empire where he was later shot in the head. Chinedu, another victim, was seriously wounded but managed to escape.”

Soon after Otenaike’s murder, policemen attached to Alakara Station recovered the corpse.

A resident, Muyiwa Asehinde, said in recent months, there had been killings in Mushin due to increase in cult activities.

He said, “Empire area, which used to be known as Fela’s Kalakuta Republic, has returned to its former state as many brothels and pubs in the area attract many hoodlums and they frequently sell hard drugs which encourage crime.

“The place has gradually become home to members of Eiye Confraternity. There is a club there which to the undiscerning eyes seems normal but it is also the national headquarters of a cult group. I urge the police to carry out constant raids in the area as well as beneath the Jibowu Bridge.