Sometimes, the details of a crime are so chilling that one struggles to comprehend the motive behind such savagery. The cruelty inflicted on innocent victims, particularly children, leaves one wondering how greed and violence can drive people to such horrifying extremes.
On Wednesday, the Oyo State Police Command announced the arrest of three suspects over the killing of a family of six at Oloba Village, Lagelu Local Government Area of Ibadan. The victims were identified as Ifeanyi Chukwu, his wife and their four children, who were allegedly killed during a robbery on September 22, 2026.
According to the police, the suspects, Hammed Akinbami, Akinbami Ojo and Padonu Edward, all from Oloba Village, allegedly used a locally made Dane gun, two cutlasses and a club before attacking the family. They stole N200,000 in cash, a Boxer motorcycle, a Doma machine with a chainsaw and a spraying machine.
The police alleged that Hammed Akinbami shot Chukwu, while Akinbami Ojo and Padonu Edward attacked his wife, hitting her on the head. The violence was extended to the couple’s four children, turning what began as a robbery into an incident of devastating proportions.
In its account, the police said two of the children were tied by their hands and legs before being thrown into a nearby river. The remaining members of the family were also allegedly killed, with their bodies dumped in the same river. The circumstances surrounding the deaths make the case particularly disturbing.
The command said the suspects had confessed to the crime, while items allegedly linked to the attack, including the family’s Boxer motorcycle, a locally made Dane gun, two cutlasses and a club, were recovered. The remains of the wife were also recovered, while efforts continued to retrieve the remains of the other victims.
Beyond the arrests and recovery of exhibits, the tragedy leaves a family destroyed and a community searching for answers. As investigators work to establish the full circumstances of the killings, the case stands as a grim reminder that the pursuit of stolen property must never come at the cost of human life, and that justice must follow where such cruelty has left devastation.
Femi Moliki writes from Lagos
