By Juliana Francis
The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, a Superintendent of Police, Mr Edafe Bright, said the command has arrested a 32-year-old contractor, Alex Kehinde, who allegedly organised and killed the elderly property owner who hired him to renovate his property.
In a chilling confession, Kehinde claimed he initially kidnapped the deceased with the intention of demanding a ransom to raise money, alleging that the victim owed them.
The victim, a man in his late 70s, had sought to refurbish his property in preparation for new tenants. However, what began as a routine business arrangement ended in a calculated murder and a fraudulent ransom demand.
According to Edafe, the tragedy unfolded after the victim contracted Kehinde to oversee the renovation work. While the landlord had already made an initial payment of N200,000, tensions allegedly arose over the pace of the work and payments to additional labourers.
Edafe said, “The suspect claimed the victim pressured them to bring in more workers to finish the job quickly. While the other workers were paid, Kehinde and his accomplices, who are currently at large, claimed they remained unpaid. Desperate for money, the accomplices suggested kidnapping the man.”
When the elderly man arrived at the site to inspect the progress, the suspects lured him to the upper floor of the building under the guise of showing him a discovered “plumbing problem.”
“Once upstairs, they forced him to sit on the ground,” Edafe explained. “When he tried to shout, they covered his nose and mouth with foam until he suffocated. Instead of taking him to the hospital when he slumped, they left him to die.”
Following the murder, the suspects allegedly stole the victim’s motorcycle and mobile phone.
In a final act of cruelty, they used the deceased man’s SIM card to contact his son, concealing the fact that his father was already dead. The suspects demanded and successfully collected a ransom of N2 million from the grieving family.
The suspect, Kehinde, was eventually tracked down and arrested in Lagos through an intelligence-led investigation. Upon his arrest, he admitted his involvement, stating that he and his accomplice split the ransom money equally.
“I have already spent my share,” Kehinde reportedly told police investigators, noting that he is 32 years old and has no children.
Edafe disclosed that the command is currently tracking the remaining accomplices and has issued a stern warning to the public regarding personal safety during business transactions.
“It is always advisable not to make certain movements alone, especially when you are dealing with people you don’t know,” SP Edafe warned. “You never can tell their true intentions. We assure the public that the accomplices still at large will be arrested and brought to justice.” #Securitynewsalert.com
#deltapolice #Deltacommand #PPRO #BrightEdafe #ransom #murder #propertyowner #NPF
