A bounty, worth N500,000, has been placed on a suspected serial killer, one Sunday Shodipe, by the Oyo State Police Command.
19-year-old Shodipe, who allegedly went on a killing spree in Akinyele local government area of Oyo State, was earlier arrested on 17 July 2020 but escaped from custody on 11 August 2020.
He was alleged to have been involved in the killings of Barakat Bello, Azeezat Shomuyiwa, and a five-year old boy identified as Mujeeb and others.
The police spokesman in the state, Mr Gbenga Fadeyi, in a statement on Thursday urged the public to help arrest the serial killer and hand him over to the nearest police station.
“The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu wishes to state that handsome reward of Five hundred thousand naira only (N500,000) awaits whoever gives useful information for the arrest of the suspected serial killer at Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, one Sunday Shodipe, 19 years, who was arrested and paraded at the Oyo State Police Command Headquarters on 17th July 2020, but later escaped from lawful custody on 11th August 2020,” the statement said.
“Consequently, the general public is hereby implored to arrest and immediately hand him over to the nearest Police Station for necessary action. The Command can be contacted on GSM Numbers: 08035632410 and 07066003536.”
On Wednesday, students from some tertiary institutions in Oyo State protested against the escape of Shodipe.
The students led by Tope Adewolu, who is the General-Secretary, Students Union Government of the Federal College of Animal Health and Production, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, stormed the Police Headquarters in Eleyele area of the ancient city to register their grievances over Shodipe’s escape.
Adewolu said that the students were disturbed by the news of Shodipe’s escape, adding that students in Oyo State wanted him rearrested and prosecuted accordingly.
He said, “We are here to show our grievances over incessant rape and brutal killing in Akinyele. We were happy when police arrested the criminal. He was paraded at the police headquarters here and later taken to court.
“We learnt that because of COVID-19, he was kept in police custody instead of prison. But we were shocked to hear a few days ago that the criminal had escaped. After his escape, we heard of another murder in the same Akinyele. How can they claim that a 19-year old criminal escaped from their custody?”