Alleged Syndicate Group Financing: Police Launch Manhunt For Lagos Resident, Adegbamigbe Olanshile, One Other

The Nigerian Police Force has launched a manhunt for a 37-Year old Olanshile Williams Adegbamigbe, and one other, Oladipupo Randle, M, 36 for allegedly financing the activities of a Syndicate group, Irawo Owuro Youth Movement’s activities in and around Lagos State.

In a press release made by the Lagos state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu on Wednesday, one Adegbamigbe Olanshile and his accomplice, Oladipupo Randle are currently on the run after the activities of a proscribed group, ‘Irawo Owuro’, used to cause breach of public peace, leading to loss of lives and unrest in and around Alimosho and Ifako-Ijaiye local government area of Lagos State, have been uncovered.

“The Lagos State Police Command strongly condemns the acts of violence, breach of public peace and insubordination leading to loss of lives and properties of a proscribed group known as ‘Irawo Owuro’ and assures the public that concerted efforts are underway to ensure the swift identification, arrest, and prosecution of all individuals connected to the incidents.

Intelligence-led policing, tactical deployments, and targeted operations have been reinforced across the state to arrest and bring to book, Financials of the terror group.

Meanwhile, prior investigation has revealed the identities of a 37-Year-Old Olanshile Williams Adegbamigbe, and one other, Oladipupo Randle, M, 36 for being major sponsors”. Ajisebutu Says.

VOA News reliably gathered that sometimes in December, 2021, one Mutiu Asade, a member of Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) was brutally murdered during a clash with members of Irawo Owuro, ‘an advocacy group’ in Ifako mini stadium, Lagos.

Leader of OPC in Ifako, Chief Fatunde Fatunsi, who spoke with VOA News Correspondent, said that his men had confronted some men whose activities became suspicious and also suspected to be in possession of dangerous arms and illegal drugs at very odd hours inside Ifako mini stadium when suddenly, a fight broke out and one of our men, Mutiu Asade was brutally stabbed on the head. He later gave up on his way to the hospital due to the severity of the wound he sustained.

Meanwhile, two of the group members, Afeez Oseni and one Kola Idowu were apprehended during the chaos and taken to custody.

“On interrogation, the two suspects arrested, Afeez Oseni and Kola Idowu later revealed the identities of other members of the group, including their Financials who are now at large”. Chief Fatunde.

One of the suspects, Kola Idowu, who spoke with VOA News Correspondent after his release from custody, said that they were tortured and hit with all sorts of charms in order for them to make confessional statements. He said Afeez later died in custody as a result of gunshot in his leg and local charms which they were hit with by members of Oodua People’s Congress.

The news of Afeez’s death, according to multiple sources did not go down well with other members of Irawo Owuro group as they reportedly set an operational vehicle of Oodua People’s Congress ablaze along Fagba road on Wednesday, 15th December, 2021.

Men of The Nigerian Police Force in Lagos soon got wind of the imbroglio between Irawo Owuro group and men of Oodua People’s Congress on Wednesday, 15th December after the operational vehicle of the OPC was razed when their men moved in to restore peace and order in the area.

One of the suspects, Kola Idowu, who was earlier released by members of OPC, was apprehended by men of Nigerian Police Force in Ifako at his shop in Tabontabon, but was later released on bail after he met his bail conditions. In his confessional statement, he mentioned Olanshile Williams Adegbamigbe and one Oladipupo Randle as major sponsors of the group. He said that ‘Irawo Owuro is a pressure group aimed at checking the excesses and intimidation from law enforcement agencies, most especially, the Nigerian Police Force’. A source inside the Police informed our Correspondent.

During a chat with one Mr Folayele Michael Adegbamigbe, who identified himself as Shile’s brother, he said that four armed men who did not give their identities, visited their home in the night of Tuesday, 15th February, 2022 at no 88, Ajayi road, Modupe bus stop, Oke-Ira, Ogba, Ikeja in search of Shile, but became aggressive after they told them he was not around. “They searched everywhere in a gestapo manner, turning the house upside down in the process. Shile’s father, who tried to wade in with the assurances that he will provide his son upon his arrival, was pushed by the armed men and he got injured in the process”.

He buttressed that Shile has since changed his address to an undisclosed location aftermath of the raid but he later heard he was traced to Abeokuta.

Shile’s father, Mr. Samuel Adegbamigbe, in a chat with VOA News Correspondent, described his son as a ‘peace loving young man, whose passion for fairness is second to none’. He said that he was taken aback by the action of the armed men that invaded their house in search of his son, citing that all efforts to arrest the situation proved abortive as the aggression of the armed men led to being pushed and getting injured in the process.

On whether he is aware that his son is a financial of Irawo Owuro group, he absolved his son in any terror group financing. He said he is only aware he joined the EndSARS protest in Lagos and since the demise of his close friend during the saga and he had advised him to steer clear of anything that could put his life in jeopardy. He added that why his son has not turned himself in is because he is not sure if the armed men are truly men of the Nigerian Police Force owing to their approach when their house was raided.

According to Human Right Watch as published on their website, www.hrw.org, “the Oodua People’s Congress has been responsible for numerous acts of violence and its members have killed or injured hundreds of people. While many of their most serious attacks were directed against Hausa, or people suspected to be northerners, their victims have also included Igbo, Ijaw and people from other ethnic groups. There have even been cases where they have attacked Yoruba, both civilians and policemen. Most of their victims have been men.

Numerous eye-witness testimonies gathered by Human Rights Watch confirmed that contrary to their leaders’ denials, the OPC have used a variety of weapons, including fire-arms, machetes, charms, cutlasses, knives and daggers, which they are often seen carrying openly.

There have also been several cases where they have poured acid on their victims. Frequently they set fire to the corpses of those they had killed, sometimes after mutilating them. It has been difficult to confirm the sources of the weapons used by the OPC. Small arms proliferate in Nigeria and it is easy to purchase guns and other weapons.

In addition, the OPC have sometimes seized weapons belonging to the police or to suspected criminals that they have apprehended during their vigilante activities”. VOA News gathered.