The Ogun State Police Command has apprehended a 29-year-old man, Ogunnaike Philip, for allegedly killing three young women and kidnapping several others across the state.
Philip’s modus operandi was to lure his victims into forests, tie them up, strangle them, and abandon their bodies after stealing their phones.
According to investigations, Philip escaped from the Ibara Correctional Centre two years ago while awaiting trial for armed robbery.
The police revealed that Philip’s victims included 18-year-old Akinsanya Habibat, 22-year-old Abigail Dina, and 23-year-old Mary Ogunyemi.
Philip confessed to the crimes and led the police to the locations where the victims were murdered.
On May 6, 2024, Philip abducted 22-year-old nurse Abigail Dina, stole her iPhone XR, and demanded a ransom of N50,000 from her family. He exchanged the phone for N65,000 in Saki town, Oyo State.
Philip, along with an accomplice, also kidnapped and murdered 23-year-old Mary Ogunyemi, stealing her iPhone S and demanding a ransom of N17,000 from her mother.
They abandoned her body in a bush in Asero Estate and sold the phone for N8,000 in Badagry, Lagos State.
This was revealed in a statement made by the Police State Command.
The statement read, “The kidnapper stole an iPhone XR from the victim and then strangled her to death. Subsequently, he contacted her family by phone and demanded a ransom of N50,000. “Afterward, the suspect abandoned her body in the forest. Ogunnaike Philip, a male suspect, was arrested in connection with the case and confessed to committing the crime. “The suspect confessed that he fled to Saki town in Oyo State, where he exchanged the stolen iPhone XR for an Infinix Hot 10 and received a cash sum of N65,000.” Philip, along with an accomplice who is currently at large, was accused of luring his neighbour’s 23-year-old daughter, Ogunyemi, to a forest. They allegedly tied her up, strangled her, and abandoned her body after stealing her phone.
Additionally, Philip was responsible for the death of 18-year-old Akinsanya Habibat, his employer’s daughter, whom he kidnapped, raped and strangled to death on her father’s farm in Mile 6, Abeokuta. He demanded a ransom of N1 million from her parents, who paid N30,000 before discovering her body.
“The victim’s father subsequently paid N30,000 to the Moniepoint account number given by the kidnapper. Later, her body was discovered on her father’s farmland in Obasa village, Mile 6, Abeokuta, Ogun State, along with her POS machine found beside her. “The suspect admitted that the victim’s father employed him and was working on the farm when he saw the victim passing by. He lured her to the farm and then tied her legs with rope,” the police revealed.
The police have confirmed Philip’s involvement in these crimes, and further investigations are ongoing.
