The police have confirmed that they have Ayomide Adeleye, the suspected killer of a 300-level student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, (FUNAAB), Ogun State, Christiana Idowu, in their custody.
Last month, Ms Idowu left her home in the Itaoluwo area of Ikorodu heading to the University of Lagos in Yaba where she was observing her industrial training before she was taken captive.
Lagos police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin said on Thursday in a brief statement posted on X that the suspect, a 200-level philosophy student of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ogun State, was arrested by the Nigerian Army.
“23-year-old Ayomide Adeleye has been handed over to @LagosPoliceNG by 9 Brigade @HQNigerianArmy. The handover took place today, September 5, 2024, at about 1400hrs. Investigation is ongoing,” Hundeyin wrote.
A source in the family revealed on August 26 that Idowu’s kidnappers asked for N3 million as ransom.
Following appeals by the family, the figure was reduced to N350,000.
The sum was paid to the suspect’s account via transfer however Idowu was not released.
Reports say intelligence operatives tracked the abductor’s parents’ house in Ikorodu through the BVN and account details used in collecting the ransom.
Mr Adeleye had a mutual relationship with Idowu as they attended the same church and followed each other on social media.
During the arrest, soldiers reportedly found the victim’s phone and details of the transaction related to the kidnap.
It was gathered that Adeleye told the girl’s father and security operatives that he buried her in a shallow grave inside his compound.
A woman named Olubunmi on X, who claimed to be Idowu’s cousin, wrote on Thursday that the victim lost her mother nine years ago when she was 12 years old.
“Each time I remember when and how her mum passed 9years ago when she was 12, I feel so sad. She survived this and now got murdered by a friend. God pls, I really hope this isn’t true,” Olubunmi wrote.
The incident has led to calls for justice for Idowu through #JusticeForChristiana on social media.
