The Osun Police Command says it has arrested the proprietor of a popular Hotel and Resort in Ile-Ife (nameswitheld) over the death of a Masters Degree student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU).
A statement by the Osun Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Yemisi Opalola, in Osogbo, said the suspect was arrested on Monday, and now undergoing interrogation.
Opalola said the hotelier was the latest suspect arrested in connection with the incident, adding that six people had earlier been arrested.
“They were arrested in respect of the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Timothy Adegoke, a Masters Degree student of OAU, who came from Abuja to sit for his examination at the OAU Distance Learning Centre, Moro, Osun,” he said.
According to him, the Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode, wishes to update the general public that, in addition to the six suspects earlier arrested, the hotelier was also arrested on Nov.15.
“He is currently in police detention, undergoing interrogation in connection with the case, while awaiting the autopsy report from the hospital,” Opalola said.
He thanked members of the public, especially the bereaved family, students and management of OAU for their patience by allowing the police to continue on a thorough investigation on the matter
“The CP reiterates the commitment of the state police command to ensure that justice is done, no matter the personality of the person(s) involved in the case or how highly or lowly placed in the society, if found culpable.
“Meanwhile, further update on the case will be made public as event unfolds,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adegoke, an Abuja-based student, had travelled to Ife on Nov. 5 to sit for an examination at OAU Distance Learning Centre in Moro, Osun State, after which he was declared missing when friends and family members could not reach him.
It was further learnt that the deceased had lodged at a hotel in Ile-Ife, a number of times between Oct. 22 and Nov. 5, when he was declared missing.
His dead body was later found by the police.
Meanwhile, the Management of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, has commiserated with the family of the deceased, who was the institution’s Executive Master in Business Administration (MBA) programme.
A statement by the university Public Relations Office, Mr Abiodun Olanrewaju, said that the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, described the incident as sad and unfortunate.
Olanrewaju said that Ogunbode appreciated the prompt action and painstaking investigation of the Osun State Command of the Nigerian Police, which eventually led to the discovery of Adegoke’s corpse.
The statement read partly, “While sympathising with the family, we recognised the tenacity and doggedness of the late Mr Adegoke’s wife, which assisted, in no small measures, in unravelling the circumstances of her husband’s movement in Ile-Ife.
“The vice-chancellor pledged the commitment of the university’s administration to work with the law enforcement agents to unravel the circumstances leading to the death of Mr Adegoke.
“He charged the widow, children, family, friends, colleagues and associates to take solace in the fact Mr Adegoke left positive footprints and impacted numerous lives, and that ‘death is a necessary end that will come when it will come.
“Ogunbodede prayed for the repose of the soul of Mr Adegoke and that God should grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”
▪︎ By NAN
More details on the story from other sources, including SaharaReporters:
Police arrest hotelier over OAU Post-graduate student’s death
The Osun Police Command says it has arrested the proprietor of a popular Hotel and Resort in Ile-Ife (nameswitheld) over the death of a Masters Degree student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU).
A statement by the Osun Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Yemisi Opalola, in Osogbo, said the suspect was arrested on Monday, and now undergoing interrogation.
Opalola said the hotelier was the latest suspect arrested in connection with the incident, adding that six people had earlier been arrested.
“They were arrested in respect of the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Timothy Adegoke, a Masters Degree student of OAU, who came from Abuja to sit for his examination at the OAU Distance Learning Centre, Moro, Osun,” he said.
According to him, the Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode, wishes to update the general public that, in addition to the six suspects earlier arrested, the hotelier was also arrested on Nov.15.
“He is currently in police detention, undergoing interrogation in connection with the case, while awaiting the autopsy report from the hospital,” Opalola said.
He thanked members of the public, especially the bereaved family, students and management of OAU for their patience by allowing the police to continue on a thorough investigation on the matter
“The CP reiterates the commitment of the state police command to ensure that justice is done, no matter the personality of the person(s) involved in the case or how highly or lowly placed in the society, if found culpable.
“Meanwhile, further update on the case will be made public as event unfolds,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adegoke, an Abuja-based student, had travelled to Ife on Nov. 5 to sit for an examination at OAU Distance Learning Centre in Moro, Osun State, after which he was declared missing when friends and family members could not reach him.
It was further learnt that the deceased had lodged at a hotel in Ile-Ife, a number of times between Oct. 22 and Nov. 5, when he was declared missing.
His dead body was later found by the police.
Meanwhile, the Management of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, has commiserated with the family of the deceased, who was the institution’s Executive Master in Business Administration (MBA) programme.
A statement by the university Public Relations Office, Mr Abiodun Olanrewaju, said that the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, described the incident as sad and unfortunate.
Olanrewaju said that Ogunbode appreciated the prompt action and painstaking investigation of the Osun State Command of the Nigerian Police, which eventually led to the discovery of Adegoke’s corpse.
The statement read partly, “While sympathising with the family, we recognised the tenacity and doggedness of the late Mr Adegoke’s wife, which assisted, in no small measures, in unravelling the circumstances of her husband’s movement in Ile-Ife.
“The vice-chancellor pledged the commitment of the university’s administration to work with the law enforcement agents to unravel the circumstances leading to the death of Mr Adegoke.
“He charged the widow, children, family, friends, colleagues and associates to take solace in the fact Mr Adegoke left positive footprints and impacted numerous lives, and that ‘death is a necessary end that will come when it will come.
“Ogunbodede prayed for the repose of the soul of Mr Adegoke and that God should grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”
▪︎ By NAN
WHEN YOU LODGE IN AN HOTEL, SNAP THE HOTEL AND LET THE STAFF KNOW STYLISHLY THAT U HAVE SNAPPED AND FORWARDED IT TO YOUR LOVED ONES. THAT MAY BE THE SAVING GRACE!
THE WORLD IS EVIL!
Still on the missing Timothy Adegoke Oludare, a Chartered Accountant from Eruwa, Oyo State. His brother reports:
Good morning sir.
Timothy left Abuja on Friday 5th November 2021 to Akure airport, from there to Ife. He later lodged at Hilton Honour Hotel at Ile Ife in Osun state. The hotel is located opposite Ife Central Local Government.
It was at the hotel they allocated him room 305 after payment of thirty seven thousand naira (N37,000) for two nights. After we were unable to reach him, we went to the hotel with Police Anti-kidnaping squad of Osogbo to make enquiries but they denied the identity of my brother at the hotel.
After some hours of investigation, the police had to arrest like six of the hotel staff, it was then they confirmed that my brother lodged at the hotel. In our efforts to trace the hotel inventory, we noticed that they had doctored the record documents for the days my brother spent there.
As I speak to you, the six of them are still with the police, yet to reveal why they removed his contact for that day. The owner of the hotel is Adedoyin”.
Saharareporters reports:
EXCLUSIVE: Osun Police Arrest 6 As MBA Student ‘Disappears’ After Lodging In Hotel Of Oduduwa University Owner, Adedoyin
Nov 14, 2021
The owner of Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Mr Rahman Adegoke Adedoyin and his worker, Ms Adedeji Tobiloba Adesola have been accused of being involved in the disappearance of one Mr Adegoke Timothy Oludare.
Oludare had lodged in the hotel located in Ife, Osun State a number of times between October 22 and November 5, 2021.
The hotel is owned by the founder of Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu, Osun State.
A source told SaharaReporters that Oludare was a Master of Business Administration (MBA) student at the Obafemi Awolowo University was in Ife from October 22nd to October 24th; October 29th to October 31st; and had also planned to stay from November 5th to November 7th, 2021.
He was said to have frequented the town to take MBA examinations scheduled at intervals.
However, he was said to have been reported missing since he checked in at the hotel on Friday, November 5 preceding his examinations scheduled for Saturday, November 6 and Sunday, November 7.
SaharaReporters learnt that it was noticed that Oludare was missing when his wife could not reach him on the phone.
Meanwhile, he had earlier contacted his wife to inform her that he was staying in a hotel.
Following a police investigation, money paid by Oludare for lodging was traced to Adesola, who works in the hotel.
The source, however, alleged that the owner of the hotel, who also owns Oduduwa University, and other workers initially denied that Oludare was at the hotel.
The source in a text made available to SaharaReporters said, “Adegoke Timothy Oludare is a student of Obafemi Awolowo University studying MBA executive programme. He is also a Director of Finance of FJJ Company. Adegoke Timothy Oludare frequented Ile-Ife between October 22nd to October 24th; October 29th to October 31st; and November 5th to November 7th, 2021 to take MBA exams at Obafemi Awolowo University and he had been consecutively lodging at Hilton Hotels and Resorts owned by Rahman Adedoyin.
“On Friday, November 5th, 2021, Adegoke Timothy Oludare contacted his wife (in Abuja) that he had arrived Ile-Ife and had lodged at an undisclosed hotel.
“The following morning, his wife was calling Adegoke Oludare’s phone line to extend morning greetings but the line kept ringing with no one picking up the call. The line was ringing throughout the day (Saturday 6th, 2021).
“Adegoke’s wife contacted relatives and the relatives immediately sent delegates to the examination centre of the OAU to confirm whether their son was in the examination hall. The examination coordinator checked the attendance for Saturday and Sunday (6th and 7th November) and they discovered that Adegoke Timothy Oludare did not come to take the exams.
“OAU Management and relatives proceeded to the police station to report the matter and investigation began. In the effort of the OAU Management, the chairman of the hoteliers’ association was contacted to reach out to hotels whether Adegoke Oludare lodged in any of the hotels but no positive response was received.
“On Wednesday, November 10th, 2021, wife of Adegoke Timothy Oludare discovered the receipt of the hotel in which her husband lodged the penultimate weekend to November 5th, 2021. The name of this Hotel was Hilton Hotels and Resorts.
“The investigation panel proceeded to Hilton to enquire whether Adegoke Oludare lodged again in the penultimate weekend which was 5th November 2021. They met the proprietor of this hotel (Chief Rahman Adegoke Adedoyin) but they denied that Adegoke Timothy Oludare lodged at their hotel.
“On Thursday 11th November 2021, investigation revealed that Adegoke Timothy Oludare transferred the sum of N37,000 from his account to a lady whose name is Adedeji Tobiloba Adesola and the details of the transfer showed that the transaction took place on Friday, 5th November 2021 that Adegoke Oludare’s wife claimed that her husband reported to have lodged at a hotel in Ile Ife.”
The source also alleged that an Islamic cleric was also involved in the matter and that six persons have been arrested as suspects in connection with the case.
“Upon tracking the phone number on the said account, it was discovered that the owner of that number was at that moment at the Hilton Hotels and Resorts owned by Rahman Adedoyin. Police proceeded to the venue and Adedeji Tobiloba Adesola was fished out to be a staffer of the said hotel.
“Adedeji Tobiloba Adesola was apprehended and she confessed to allocating room 35 of Hilton Hotels and Resorts to Adegoke Timothy Oludare the same Friday. She was arrested and she was taken to the police headquarters, Osogbo.
“On November 12, 2021, her confession led to arrests of 6 other suspects by the police. One of the suspects who is a self-acclaimed Alfa (Islamic cleric) claimed to have left Ile-Ife for Ejigbo on Friday.
“Before Alfa’s confession, police tracking had shown that Adegoke Timothy Oludare’s phone was moved from Ile-Ife to Ejigbo between 5th and 6th November, 2021.
“On November 13, 2021, the proprietor of Hilton Hotels and Resorts mobilised three lawyers to Osogbo in order to pervert the investigation process. The police also seem to be compromising in their investigation process.“We call on well-meaning Nigerians to intervene and help us. Rahman Adedoyin is also the owner of Oduduwa University and he is claiming to be more powerful on this matter,” the source added.
However, when SaharaReporters tried to reach Adedoyin, his SA (Special Assistant), Mohammed Oladapo, who answered the call, said, “This is not Adedoyin. You are talking to his SA. Well, I can’t deny that it happened because the country itself is battling with insecurity. But, I won’t like to say anything so as not to jeopardise the investigation that is going on. You can call me back in the next two or three days.”