Controversy trails the killing of 73-year-old monarch; family say robbers, Police say ‘assassination’.
THERE was palpable disquiet bordering on panic on Thursday, following the killing of Chief Kayode Adeshina Onimole, the Onimole of Lagos and a member of the ‘white cap chiefs’ of Lagos.
Questions begging for answers are on the lips of residents of the Igan Iduganran, the traditional palace of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu.
While some family members said the late Onimole died at the hands of armed robbers , the Lagos State Police Command sees the killing of the traditional ruler as an assassination since nothing was stolen from him.
Sympathisers in Isale-Eko area have been wondering how the hoodlums walked into the ever-busy palace of the late Onimole unnoticed.
The Guardian gathered that the assailants walked into the bedroom of the 73-year-old traditional ruler and shot him without stealing a pin. But his family members said they did not suspect any foul play.
Sympathizers thronged the palace of the late chief, which is a few buildings from Oba Akiolu’s palace.
According to one of the leaders of the Onimole family, Major General Segun Ajiborise :“Our family has lost a rare gem.” The killing of our brother is a very pathetic experience. Early this morning, we woke up to hear the news that our brother, Chief Kayode Adeshina Onimole, the Onimole of Lagos and the Opemulero of Yoruba land was robbed and killed.
“We quickly got the police involved. The police have come and they have embarked on homicide investigation into the matter.
“ I can only tell you that our family would miss Onimole.
“Even the people of Isale-Eko would miss him. We have been receiving calls from all parts of Nigeria and America. People have been calling to give words of consolation to our family members. Our father was about 73 years old before he was killed. There is nothing we can do. We just give glory to God. He had a credible character. Baba Oloye could not hurt a fly. He had no enemy as everyone was his friend. If you speak to people on this Iga Iduganran area, you would be amazed about the good things they would say about Baba. The assailants came into his palace and killed him,” The retired military officer said.
He added that police investigation would unearth whether it was assassination or armed robbery.
According to him, “ We don’t know whether there is foul play anywhere. We have left that one for police to establish. He was a traditional ruler but he had only one wife and six children".
One of the residents, who preferred to remain anonymous, said: “I am still in shock. I watched the football match between Nigeria and Mali with Baba here at his palace. We were all rejoicing over the winning of our team. So, I was shocked when I heard that he had been killed this morning. I have not recovered from the shock,” he said.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Umar Manko told The Guardian on telephone that the assailants were not robbers. He, however, assured that the police had swung into action to unearth the mystery behind the death of the traditional ruler.
According to him, “Two men walked into the man’s bedroom around 3. 00a.m. and shot him. They did not steal anything so they were not armed robbers. We have commenced investigation into the matter already.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba is leading the investigation team and they have already swung into action.”
Source: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com
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