By Matthew Don
AIG Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos
The Police at Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos are investigating the circumstances surrounding the attempted murder of a national of the United States, Robert Rob Wheelers by one Orabe Philips Leo, a Nigerian and former staff of the up-coming internationally acclaimed Tony Elumelu Foundation.
Leo was arrested on Friday, September 8 after he fled following the crime by operatives attached to the intelligence unit of the Zone 2 Police Command.
The victim, Wheelers according to police arrived Nigeria on August 25, 2017 and was picked up at the airport by Leo who once worked with him at Tony Elumelu Foundation in 2015.
Leo was said to have been interrogated by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of the Command, Ibrahim Adamu, and during the interview, confessed to the attempted murder.
Spokesperson of the Zonal Police Command, Dolapo Badmus, confirmed the arrest, and that the suspect that attempted to kill his American visitor on the same August 25, 2017. She said the investigation still on going.
Badmus explained further: “The suspect drove the victim to his house at Adeniyi Street Ikorodu where he was to reside till his return back to US. The victim was attacked by his host at midnight and was left in his pool of blood after which the suspect fled.
“The Zonal command received the distress call and it’s operatives were dispatched to launch a manhunt for the suspect while the victim was rushed to the hospital. On the 8th of September upon intelligence gathering the suspect was arrested from his hideout within Ikorodu.
“The suspect who was interrogated by the AIG in charge of Zone 2, AIG Ibrahim Adamu confessed to have clubbed the victim’s head with a pestle three times, stating that the victim reneged on his promise to give him an unspecified amount of money, a promise the victim couldn’t keep which angered the suspect.
“The suspect when questioned why he will have to kill a man because he refused to fulfil a promise revealed that he has invested so much in his effort to get money from the white man since he consulted a white garment church where he was given a charm to use on the man but was deeply angered when the victim didn’t obey his instructions.”