Police nab NURTW chief for alleged murder

Samson Folarin

The Anti-Robbery Squad of the State Department of Criminal Investigation, Lagos State Police Command, has arrested a murder suspect, Kunle Oshineye, aka Eyin Bouncing, for alleged involvement in the killing of two men in Akoka, Bariga.

Oshineye, an executive member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in the Jibowu area, was said to have been arrested at a party last Friday.

A police source told PUNCH Metro that the suspect, who allegedly belonged to the Eiye Confraternity, was among those who killed Daniel and Abiye, who were slain on January 22, 2016.

The deceased were said to be members of the Aiye Confraternity, a rival group.

The death of Daniel and Abiye, had led to the killing of a 63-year-old businesswoman, Mrs. Adejoke Adefuye on Oshinfolarin Street, Bariga, a day later.

The source said, “After the arrest of the first set of eight suspects, we continued our investigations and combed the Fadeyi, Somolu and Bariga areas, where most of the suspects have their base. We got a tip-off on Oshineye as one of the henchmen, and he was arrested.

“He confessed to be an Eiye member and said it was a prerequisite to becoming a member of the NURTW in his area. He said you are either an Aiye or an Eiye member to be part of the NURTW. He confessed to be among the cult members that were involved in the killing of Daniel and Abiye and has been assisting with investigations.”

The suspect, however, told our correspondent that he was not a cultist and did not kill anyone, adding that he only lied against himself to avoid police harassment.

Oshineye, who admitted to being called Eyin Bouncing, said it was an alias he got because his mum sold eggs.

He said, “I am the Organising Officer of the NURTW, Jibowu branch. I dropped out of secondary school because I had to start fending for myself. I am married with two kids.

“People call me Eyin Bouncing because my mum sells eggs and that is all about the name. I am not a cult member and I didn’t kill anybody.

“I was at a friend’s party last Friday and had gone out to make a call when the police came to arrest me. I was taken to my house on Adekoga Street in Somolu for searching.

“I lied against myself because I didn’t want to be harassed. Please help me appeal to them to release me.”

However, a friend of the suspect, who was equally interrogated by the police, said he stopped associating with him after he tried to initiate him to cultism.

He said, “We were friends and I knew him to be a member of the NURTW. I was a tricycle driver and one day, he invited me for a party. At the party, they suddenly descended on me and started beating me. I suffered a lot of injuries and almost died, but I survived it. They said it was an initiation and that I had become a member of the confraternity.

“But after that experience that day, I fled. I am not a cult member and I have my job that I do.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, when contacted promised to call back, but she had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.