Three suspects arrested in connection with the killing of the naval officer identified as Samuel Ayomide Akingbagbogun at Idoani, in Ose LGA of Ondo state, have confessed to the crime. 

The trio; Francis Shagari, 17, Sambo Ayomide, 20, and Johnson Adeleke, 20, are all young school leavers awaiting to write the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams.

The suspects were Thursday, paraded before journalists at the State Police Command headquarters in Akure.

The deceased, Mr Akingbagbogun, is a sub-lieutenant, attached to the Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Imeri, a town close to the Idoani community. 

Speaking to reporters, Mr Sambo, 20, said the naval officer was the first to attack them before they took revenge. 

He explained that he and the other two friends (Messrs Shagari and Adeleke) were walking towards the naval officer on the road but he hit them while trying to avoid a puddle of water. 

“The fight started when the officer hit one of us while trying to avoid the dirty water on the road. And we asked him, what was our offence but before we knew it he slapped my friend. 

“We tried to resist him and this led to a fight between us. One man walking on the street rushed down and settled the fight but we felt cheated by the beating of the officer,” Mr Sambo added.

On his part, Mr Adeleke said the fight made them mobilise other friends in the community to attack the officer after feeling they were cheated by the deceased. 

“The officer hit us first and we decided to mobilise our friends on motorcycles by trailing him down the road. We pounced on him and attacked him back for revenge. We used an iron rod on him and hit his testicles before we left the scene,” he said. 

Parading the suspects, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, police spokesperson in Ondo, said a friend of the deceased, simply identified as Olaoluwa, reported the case to the police in Idoani.

Mrs Odunlami-Omisanya explained that the three suspects mobilised their friends to beat up the naval officer and was left unconscious before he finally gave up the ghost.

“One Mr Olaoluwa came to Idoani Police Division and reported that his friend, (the naval officer) while on their way had an altercation with one Johnson Adeleke but someone came around to settle the scuffle.

“Unfortunately, the young boy went and mobilised others and attacked them. It was later, we realised that the victim attacked is a Sub Lieutenant, Akingbagbohun Samuel Ayomide of the Nigerian Navy,” she said. 

According to her, the police following investigation and interrogation of the three suspects realised that Mr Sambo was one of those mobilised to the scene to attack the officer. 

“When he (Sambo) got there, he carried an iron rod, hit the naval officer on his testicles and started stoning him.

“Later, he became unconscious and he was rushed to the hospital in the town, where he was confirmed dead by the doctor,” Mrs Odunlami-Omisanya added.

While condemning the action of the trio, she revealed that they would be charged with “murder and conspiracy” before the court, noting that the police were still tracking other suspects who are currently on the run.