A 62-year-old retired civil servant was allegedly strangled and attacked with a machete inside her Abeokuta home by a neighbour who later joined mourners at her residence, turning an apparent financial dispute into a murder investigation.
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a 49-year-old transporter, Saburi Lateef, over the killing of Adedotun Oluwaseun, a retired confidential secretary with the Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board, at her residence in the Bode Olude area of Abeokuta.
Lateef, popularly known as Alhaji Oki Osan, was reportedly among those who gathered to mourn the deceased, fondly called Big Mummy, before investigators linked him to the crime. He lived in the same neighbourhood as the retired official.
Police investigations suggest that the suspect allegedly entered her apartment through a window while she was away at a friend’s retirement party in the Rounder area of the city. He allegedly attacked her after she returned home unexpectedly.
A police source at the Homicide Section of the command in Eleweran told journalists that Lateef allegedly strangled the woman, inflicted machete wounds on her and moved her body to the toilet.
The source said investigators initially had little information about the perpetrator. The breakthrough followed the intervention of the Inspector-General of Police, Rilwan Disu, who directed the state Commissioner of Police, Olubode Ojajuni, to ensure that the killing was thoroughly investigated.
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A disputed ₦3.45m transaction
Lateef reportedly told investigators that the killing followed a financial disagreement. He claimed he had known Oluwaseun for about 10 years, dating back to the construction of her house, and that they developed a close relationship after she moved into the property.
According to his account, financial difficulties began after his truck broke down and he could not afford repairs. He eventually sold the vehicle for ₦3.5 million, giving about ₦50,000 to people who had worked around where it was parked.
He alleged that he handed the remaining ₦3.45 million to the deceased for safekeeping after she promised to assist him with a loan to purchase another truck. He claimed she repeatedly delayed returning the money when he requested it.
However, the deceased’s family disputed the account, saying they knew of no financial dealings or relationship between the two that would support the suspect’s claim.
Lateef reportedly admitted that nobody else knew about the alleged transaction and that he had not reported the supposed dispute to any neighbour.
He also said he had been drinking before entering the apartment. He allegedly removed the burglary-proof bars from a window to gain access to the building.
Questions investigators must settle
The competing accounts leave important questions for the investigation. Police must establish whether the alleged ₦3.45 million transaction occurred, whether any evidence supports the claim and what actually motivated the killing.
Investigators are also examining whether the suspect intended to steal from the retiree because he believed she had recently received her gratuity.
The case highlights the danger of unresolved financial disputes when private disagreements escalate into violence. Yet, the alleged debt cannot be treated as proof of motive until investigators establish the facts.
Lateef’s arrest is a significant step in the investigation, but it does not amount to a conviction. The suspect is entitled to due process, while the deceased’s family awaits answers about the circumstances of her death.
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