By Naomi Chima
Ayorinde, brother of slain Oyo hotelier, Olugbenga Owolabi, has raised the alarm over an alleged threat to his life.
He claimed that his family was forced to flee their house at Moniya, in the Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State shortly after some people killed his United States-based brother.
On December 23, 2022, the Oyo State Police Command arrested three men allegedly responsible for the abduction and murder of the hotelier.
His brother, however, claimed that the arrest was made close to his residence in Moniya.
In an interview with PUNCH Metro on Sunday, the 66-year-old man said he and his family members fled their home in November last year after several threats.
He said, “Since the killing of my brother, it has not been easy for my family to be without threats daily. There are threats to myself, my children and any contact found on the phone collected during the negotiations. I had to abandon my house; my family is scattered within Ibadan and some other parts of Oyo State.
“I am a retired Director in the Federal Ministry of Education, Quality Control, Oyo State., I am also a farmer and realtor, but I couldn’t stay in my office. I can’t move freely, and do my work. I had to run away.
“The culprits who confessed to the kidnap and killing of my brother were caught near my house and the police refused to take them to court for prosecution.”
Ayorinde pleaded with the government to curb kidnapping in the state and ensure that justice was served in the matter.
He added, “Because of threats here and there and the incidents of the negotiation, I have become hypertensive and I was never a patient of hypertension until these incidents.
“The police should also come out with reports on the case, so we can know exactly what they are doing or plan to do; if the three suspects are still in Ibadan or have been taken to Abuja.”
The hotelier, Owolabi, and one of his workers, Rachael Opadele, were abducted by gunmen at Ogbomoso, Oyo State, and killed by their abductors on August 3, 2022, after failed negotiations with Ayorinde on the payment of the N50m ransom demanded.
Owolabi, a US citizen, was said to be living in Maryland, US, and decided to invest in the hospitality business in his hometown in Ogbomoso.
It was learnt that his hotel was opened in December 2021 and he was abducted and killed a few months after.
Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Osifeso Adewale, asked our correspondent to send a text message.
He was yet to respond to messages sent to him on WhatsApp as of the time of filing this report.
Source: The Punch
