Police in Lagos have arrested two suspects for allegedly drugging their co-workers in order to have opportunity to rob and kill their 56-year-old boss, Mrs. Olusola Olusoga, an hotelier. The police said the suspects drugged the noodles of their co-workers, forcing them into a deep sleep, then proceeded to rob and murder Olusoga. Aside from the hotelier, the hotel manager, Tunji Omikunle (39), was also killed. The two suspects are Ehizojie Vincent Jeffery and Okechi Light Ezi. The police gave the names of other suspects at large as Henry Lolo and two contract staff identified as Dubai and Dangote.
The state Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, explained that on January 25, the suspects robbed and murdered the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Etashol Hotels and Suites, situated in Ojodu area of the state. He said: “The suspects robbed and murdered the CEO of the hotel, Mrs. Olusoga and also strangled the hotel manager, Tunji Omikunle. The suspects’ plan to rob the hotelier was hatched by Henry, Jeffrey, Okechi and two contract staff of the hotel. The principal suspect, Jeffery, was arrested in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he went to take refuge after the heinous act. All the conspirators agreed that they had no future in the company because they believed the deceased was stingy.”
The commissioner said the suspects agreed that the hotelier must be robbed of her local and foreign currency, especially since she had just returned from London, United Kingdom. He added: “In order to have a hitch-free operation, they agreed that Henry, who is currently at large, must prepare noodles, which is loved by all members of staff. He lanced it with a sleep-inducing stimulant called SK and served the hotel workers, who were not part of the conspiracy.” The plan would have worked out perfectly, except for Omikunle, who didn’t eat the noodles. He was already asleep when they served the noodles. While others fell into a drug-induced sleep, the suspects tried to steal the keys to Olusoga’s bedroom from Omikunle.
“Their attempt to steal the keys to the CEO’s bedroom from the manager’s pocket proved abortive as he suddenly woke up in the process. He began to struggle with them at the reception area. In the ensuing scuffle, the manager was strangled,” Edgal said. The commissioner said that after strangling Omikunle, the suspects searched his pockets, but couldn’t find the keys. They went upstairs to the late CEO’s room and forced the door open. He added: “The suspects met an obviously shocked woman in the room and bound her hands and legs with rope.
By the time the suspects were through with searching the room for money and other valuables, the woman had died. The gang stole Olusoga’s N50,000, jewellery and other personal effects. They, however, couldn’t take the items out for fear of being challenged by a police team stationed close to the hotel.” Scared stiff and fidgety, the suspects abandoned the loot in the hotel. The commissioner said that the loot had since been recovered by homicide detectives investigating the case. He said: “A prima facie case of conspiracy and murder against the suspects had been established.” The commissioner further revealed that a Close Circuit Television (CCTV) footage, which was got from the hotel, was made available to the police. The footage clearly showed the role played by each of the suspects in the crime.