The Ondo State Police Command has arrested two suspects, including a landlord, in connection with the abduction and murder of two students from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, whose disappearance sparked public outcry late last month.
Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, disclosed during a press briefing in Akure that the victims—25-year-old Abah John Friday and his 19-year-old friend, Okah Andrel Eloho—were abducted on June 20, 2025. A formal petition filed by a family member on June 24 triggered the investigation that would later uncover the chilling details behind their deaths.
“Following a petition received from legal representatives of the victims’ family, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad launched a discreet investigation using forensic tracking,” Lawal stated.
According to the Commissioner, detectives traced a stolen iPhone belonging to one of the victims to Computer Village in Lagos, where it had been resold. The phone’s trail led to the arrest of Abdul Mohammed Mubarak, who revealed he bought the device from another suspect, Ojo Michael, later apprehended in Ekiti State. A Lexus RX 350 belonging to the victims was also recovered.
Upon interrogation, Michael reportedly confessed to orchestrating the crime with the help of the landlord, Oladele Femi, and an accomplice still at large, identified only as “Kola.” He admitted to participating in the robbery, abduction, and eventual killing of the two students.
“It was revealed that the landlord masterminded the attack and engaged others to execute the plan. A sum of ₦800,000 was transferred from the male victim’s account during their captivity,” Lawal explained.
In a disturbing turn, Michael also admitted to sexually assaulting the female victim before killing her and her friend, allegedly to prevent them from identifying him. Their bodies were discarded in different locations across Ekiti State.
Based on the suspects’ confessions, police were able to recover the remains of the female victim in a forested area near Ode-Ekiti. The body has since been deposited at a nearby mortuary for autopsy. Efforts to retrieve the male victim’s remains, reportedly dumped in a river, are still ongoing.
Commissioner Lawal described the incident as a “devastating act of betrayal and greed,” and affirmed the command’s determination to bring all perpetrators to justice.
“We are intensifying efforts to apprehend the remaining suspect and ensure justice is served. The loss of these promising undergraduates is a painful reminder of the dangers that lurk behind closed doors,” he said.
The case has sparked outrage across communities in Ondo and Ekiti, with residents calling for swift justice and better security for students in the state.
