An auto mechanic, Jonathan Marcus, who often worked as a chauffeur to an elderly couple in Abuja, Adebola Ezekiel, 80, and his wife, Abiodun Ezekiel, 79, have been arrested over their gruesome murder at their residence at Apo Legislative Quarters in Abuja on March 31, 2024.
Marcus was among several suspects paraded by the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory Command, Benneth Igweh, during a press conference on Friday.
Igwe revealed that the police began an investigation immediately and were able to arrest the suspect, a former driver to the deceased couple.
He noted that police detectives trailed the suspect and arrested him in his hideout in Obajana, Kogi.
Igwe claimed that the suspect had freely confessed to having gained access to the house on the same date, slit the deceased’s throats, and made away with the couple’s phones and Automated Teller Machine cards.
Meanwhile, the police boss also revealed that the command, on April 11, 2024, arrested another two for alleged culpable homicide in the Mabushi area of Abuja.
Igweh said the suspects were arrested by operatives from the Mabushi Division following a tip-off that the corpse of one Bilkisu Mohammed was being discreetly conveyed.
Igweh revealed, “The deceased had earlier visited the house of her supposed boyfriend, who eventually travelled to Kano and left her in the care of the female suspect.
“The deceased allegedly fell ill and was given non-prescribed drugs that led to her death by the male suspect who came into the house on the invitation of the female suspect.”
He said the suspects were currently in police custody, undergoing interrogation.
Igweh said operatives of the Command from Utako Division, on April 6, 2024, in a well-coordinated operation, arrested nine armed robbers.
The CP said the suspects, during interrogation, freely confessed to being part of an armed robbery gang responsible for a series of robberies and other heinous crimes in the FCT.
He said four locally fabricated AK 47 rifles, three locally fabricated cartridge rifles, one English pistol, and one dane gun were recovered from the suspects.
Other items recovered from the suspects were three live rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one live round of 5.56mm ammunition, and an empty cartridge.
Igwe said police operatives on routine crime prevention patrol at Durumi IDP Camp, on April 9, also intercepted three suspected armed robbers, who had one English-made pistol and a Mazda vehicle registered RBC 117 EV.
The CP said all the suspects would be charged in court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
