In
the last eight years, Idowu Tijani and his terror group have allegedly
killed no fewer than nine persons in the Ijoko Community of Ado-Odo/Ota
Local Government Area, Ogun State.
While their exploits in crime lasted, they were the nemesis of
residents and members of a faction involved in the tussle for the
traditional stool in Ijoko.
The terror unleashed on the community by Tijani and his blood-thirsty
gang ended when the police arrested his lieutenants, Rasaq Ogundairo
aka ‘Babalawo Poly’ and Raimi Ogunkunle, 25, after a trail.
Three cut-to-size single barrel pistols, two double barrel pistols,
one pump action gun with 14 cartridges, five cutlasses and charms were
recovered from the gang.
Parading the suspects on Monday at the Ogun State Police Command,
Eleweran, Abeokuta, the State Commissioner for Police, Mr Abdulmajid
Ali, disclosed that a team of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad stormed the
gang’s hideout in Ijoko and arrested Ogundairo. He said: “The arrest of
the suspect led to the arrest of two members of the gang. The leader of
the gang, Idowu Tijani, confessed to have killed four people, including
Soje, Babajeje and Agali in the Ijoko area.”
Speaking with The Nation, Tijani regretted killing many people in the
community in the last eight years. In tears, he said: “May God forgive
me my atrocities, and I want to advise those who foment trouble to
desist because it does not pay. Even if my arrest leads to death, well,
that is my fate. But I regret all the killings that I have carried out
so far.”
Tijani explained that he took to crime to avenge the death of his
four-year-old son, Fathiu, who was allegedly killed during the violence
that engulfed the Ijoko community in the wake of the Obaship crisis.
“Oba Matanmi is a younger brother to my mother. I was not involved in
land-grabbing activities because I am a furniture maker and married with
four children. I have a workshop in my house, which I built a few years
ago,” he said.
“On a particular day about eight years ago, some members of Tobalase
group who are loyalists of one Oba Ogunseye stormed my house while I had
gone out to watch a football match at a nearby field. They destroyed my
house before setting it ablaze, and a portion of the building fell on
my son, Fathiu and killed him. Three days after the incident, I took my
gun and headed to the home of one Monsusru Osoba aka ‘Olori Odo’. I met
him in front of his house and shot him but he escaped into his room
where I finished him up.
”A lot of people were arrested in connection with the murder of Olori
Odo but I was not arrested. I also killed Soje during a fight in the
community. Soje and his group attacked me during the visit of Olota of
Ota to Sango Secondary School. Soje tried to shoot me but the trigger
refused to pull, so I quickly shot him dead and ran away.
“I did not intend to kill people, but the obaship tussle between Oba
Matanmi and Oba Ogunseye was responsible for the attack on my house at
No. 17, Ago Giwa Street, Ijoko which led to the death of my son made me
to embark on a killing spree.”
Tijani said he got his gun from his late boss, adding that his arrest
was due to a row he had with Rasaq Ogundairo. “I got the gun I used
from my late boss called Tunji. Rasaq (Ogundairo) is just like a brother
to me but he suddenly turned to armed robbery and I reported him to Oba
Matanmi, who asked me to inform the police. Rasaq and one of his
friends were arrested and made to sign and undertaking not to engage in
robbery again. After the police released them, Rasaq condemned me for
instigating their arrest and vowed to reveal how I killed Olori Odo,
hence, my eventual arrest.”
Ogundairo, 25, who confessed to being a member of Eiye Confraternity,
said he had killed some people, including one Tosin and Dare.
He narrated how friends in the Ijoko neighbourhood initiated him into
cultism. “I am a member of Eiye Confraternity. We have been terrorising
Ijoko community and killing people for sometime now. I joined the cult
group about two years ago when some boys in the neighbourhood initiated
me through beating and alcoholic drink.
“I have killed so many people, including one Tosin and Dare, who are
members of a rival cult group called Aiye Confraternity. The duo are
deadly too, and we used to hunt for Aiye members because they can kill
us too. Whenever we attack Aiye members, they would run away and abandon
their motorcycles and sundry items and sell them.”
Ogundairo traced his descent into crime. ”I am called ‘Babalawo Poly’
because my father is a herbalist, but, regrettably, the charms found on
me could not protect me from being arrested.
“I also partake in land-grabbing activities and I work with Oba
Matanmi’s group to visit construction sites in the community. I don’t
know whether my parents are aware of my arrest because they had warned
me not to get involved in crime, but I did not heed their warning until I
was caught in the act. The reality of my parents’ homily has since
dawned on me.
The third member of the gang, Ogunkunle, also gave a confession. He
said: ”I am neither a member of Eiye Confraternity nor Aiye member, but I
belong to Ogundairo’s gang. My father is one of the baales installed by
Oba Matanmi. I have never killed in my life and I regret all my
actions.
