It has been revealed that the much-reported killing at the Palms Shopping Mall, Ring Road, Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State was carried out by an unknown gunman.
PMParrot gathered from a reliable source close to one of the very top managers at the shopping mall that the face of the killer was revealed after reviewing the activities of the day using the close-circuit television.
It was also revealed that the victim, Akinola Babatunde, a National Diploma two student of the Polytechnic, Ibadan was killed by the said gunman after they had ‘issues’.
Our source informed that when policemen were invited, the first thing they demanded for was access to the ‘back-end’ computers used for the CCtv.
Continued our source “In fact, policemen are still working on the CCtv footages to identify the faces of those who were there when the murder was carried out.
“That is why the mall is still being shut – it is for the police to carry out thorough investigations.”
PMParrot also gathered that when the rumour first filtered out that an ‘off duty policeman’ killed the Poly student, his colleagues under the aegis of the ubiquitous National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) stormed the Oyo State police headquarters at Eleyele but the Commissioner of Police was up to task.
“Mrs Ngozi Onadeko promptly gave instructions that the NANS representatives should be given access to the CCtv footage to confirm the face of the killer. It was after viewing the footage that the students relaxed.”
The Oyo State Police Command has since issued a statement to exonerate its officers and men.
The statement signed by Adewale Osifeso read, “The attention of the Oyo State Police Command has been drawn to fake and misleading news making the rounds, particularly on social media spaces, on the murder of one Husma Akinola Babatunde (male), aged 21years an ND2 student of Banking and Finance, The Polytechnic Ibadan, who was allegedly shot while trying to evade arrest.
“To set the record straight, on the strength of a distress call received at about 9am, on Sunday, 25th of July, 2021, from Palms Mall, Ring Road, Ibadan that some suspected cultists/hoodlums invaded the building premises in pursuit of their target who was shot and later confirmed dead at the hospital, police patrol teams were immediately drafted to the scene but the perpetrators had escaped before arrival.
“Preliminary investigation reveals through CCTV footages, crime scene analysis, residents and customers scampering for safety at the time, that the shootings were carried out by hoodlums and not the police in what seemed (like a) reprisal in a cult related fracas.
“While comprehensive investigations is ongoing, the Command wishes to refute the unfounded tales, aimed at promoting panic, apprehension, and instigating violence against the police.
“The Command wishes to assure the people of Oyo State that the security architecture of the state remains resolute and fortified daily with intelligence driven upgrades. While enjoining members of the public to desist from spreading fake and unverified news, the Commissioner of Police assures the citizenry that the perpetrators of the dastardly act would soon be tracked and made to face justice.”
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
