Prince Akinloye’s Gruesome Murder: Rights Group Urges Sanwo-Olu, IGP To Wade Into

By Akinwale Kasali

Tears rolled down freely on the cheeks of hundreds of sympathizers who besieged Ikoyi Cemetery to witness the internment of Prince Kazeem Ademola Akinloye.

The Prince was gruesomely murdered on Monday, August 26, 2024, along Chevron Drive, Lekki, Lagos.

He was driving home in his Toyota car when he was double-crossed by the assailants who first shot him, and finally used machetes to butcher him.

Ademola was the son of His Royal Highness, Oba Tijani Akinloye, Sateru II, the King of Ojomu, in Ajiran Town in Eti Osa Local Government.

This development has prompted a Civil Society Group, Centre for Human and Socio Economic Rights, CHSR, to call on Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu of Lagos State and the Inspector General of Police, Dr Kayode Egbetokun, to Wade in and investigate the gruesome murder of  Ademola.

In a statement,  Comrade Alex Omotehinse,  President of the CSO, stated that the deceased was double-crossed by assailants who, first, shot him, and finally macheted him to death.

He added that while the motive of the assailants could only be ascertained after thorough Police investigation, it imperative to emphasise that the manner of his death follows the  same pattern of the gruesome murder of Sheriff Ishola Salami at Moba town adjacent Ajiran Town on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.

“It should be in public interest for the police to prioritise the investigation of the assassination of Prince Kazeem Ademola Akinloye and the earlier incident involving Mr. Sheriff Ishol Salami to ascertain the immediate and remote causes considering concerns and fears elicited amongst the native inhabitants and cross sections of residents of Ojomu community of Ajiran land, Lagos.

“It must be reiterated that the killers of Mr. Sherrif Ishola Salami are yet to be investigated, apprehended and brought to book, 16 months after the incident. In spite of the efforts by the family, the leadership of Ojomu community and our organisation to get the Police to conduct investigation and unearth the immediate and remote circumstances surrounding the assassination, there has been deliberate attempt by the Police authorities in Lagos to cover up.

“It would, however,  be recalled that we had, in our previous press briefings on the death of Mr. Sheriff Ishola Salami, alerted the police and the Lagos State Government of the grave implications of allowing murderers escape justice through mute indifference or complicity by inactions and deliberate equivocation”.

He further stressed that with the indifference approach of the Lagos State Government and the Police, murderers are encouraged and emboldened by the failure of the State to ensure that victims get justice.

“We are, therefore, compelled to ask: What Is the Police and the Lagos State Government upto this time around?

“The assassination of Prince Kazeem Ademola Akinloye should, no doubt, be deemed callous, wanton and unacceptable in a sane society under the rule of law. We, therefore, wish to again reassert our earlier position that no citizen should be allowed to suffer double jeopardy as victim of senseless killings by a group of individuals who consider themselves untouchable or too connected to be apprehended and brought to book by the law enforcement agencies.

“We, therefore, demand prompt and transparent investigations into the assassination of Prince Kazeem Ademola Akinloye. Its high time the police let Nigerians know why it has not investigated the murder of Mr. Sheriff Ishola Salami sixteen months after the incident.

“We call on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. kayode Egbetokun and the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to openly condemn the assassination of Prince Kazeem Ademola Akinloye and to order full investigation to be conducted by officers of high integrity that would not be compromised.

“We wish to maintain that only unbiased and transparent investigation can unravel the killers of Prince Kazeem Ademola Akinloye and those connected with the assassination of Mr. Sherrif Ishola Salami”.

The Group called on the media to join forces with it and other public-spirited individuals as well as groups to demand full investigations into the murders of two sons of Ojomu communities in Lagos.

“We value your attention and continued support in defence of rule of law in the collective interest of our shared humanity”.

In the same vein, Dayo Joshua, a friend of the deceased appealed to the LASG and the Police to up the ante by bringing the murderers of Ademola to book, stressing that the issue must not be swept under the carpet.

“This is disheartening, how a loving, gentle and spirited person like Ademola will be murdered gruesomely in broad day light. Ademola is a farmer who has a PhD in Agriculture and is so diligent in what he does.

“The motive behind his killing is unknown, because he has been a blessing to the community.  When Eggs is being sold for N5000, Ademola will sell his own Eggs for N2700.

“The killers of Ademola must be made to face justice.  Today it Is Ademola, yesterday it was Sheriff, who is next?,” Joshua queried.