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Alleged Murder: These Are Fresh Human Head, Human Legs, Second Defendant Admits In Court
The second defendant in an ongoing murder case at Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, Opeyemi Ramoni, popularly known as Alubarika, on Monday admitted that the human head and human legs that he was holding in pictures taken by law enforcement agents and tendered as exhibits were fresh.
His response followed questions asked by the Oyo State Attorney-General, Mr Abiodun Aikomo, who led the prosecution team. He was shown the pictures tendered as exhibits and told: “Look at this picture, what can you see?
He replied: “Human head.” He was asked again: “Is it fresh?” to which he responded: “Yes.”
He was given the second picture and asked: “What again can you see?” to which he replied: “Human legs.”
“Were they fresh or rotten?,” he was asked. He replied: “In the picture, they were fresh.”
The continued hearing was of the case for which he and the first defendant, Tayo Akinrinola, are standing trial at Court 9, presided over by Justice M.I. Sule, on a four-count charge of conspiracy, murder, unlawful possession of human head and indecent interference with dead human body.
The two defendants were accused of conspiring to murder and dismember one Seun at a community school at Mokola area of Ibadan in October 2023.
Alubarika had earlier claimed during cross examination by the defendant counsel, Mr Adebola Ogungbe, that he saw maggots in the body parts, with flies buzzing around them, while the police poured petrol on them to get rid of the odour.
The first defendant, Akinrinola, had said on February 17 during his narration of the incident that led to his arrest that he severed the head of a corpse he found in the bush, and not a living being whom he wrote in the statement made at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku. In one of his three statements, he wrote that he killed Tunde by stabbing before cutting his head and other body parts.
Alubarika also denied all written in the statements he reportedly made, saying that he was forced to sign them without their being read to him.
At a point, the Attorney General, leading the prosecution team asked the second defendant to read from Exhibits B4 and B5, with the belief that he could do so with his senior secondary school certificate education, but he replied that he could not, save ‘Arabic Studies’ written as part of the statement. He asked the court interpreter to help him read because he was not the one who wrote it.
Led in evidence by the his defence counsel, Mr Adebola Ogungbe, on Monday, Alubarika (Opeyemi Ramoni), who identified himself as an Arabic teacher, narrated his involvement with the case: “I knew the first defendant through my brother. He was engaged in bricklaying. On October 16, 2023, I was coming from Gbagi area. I got Akinrinola’s repeated calls but didn’t have the opportunity to pick them because I was driving.
“I parked and called him back, and he said he needed the money he asked from me for his son’s school fees. I asked him where he was and he said Agbarigo area. I told him to come to where I was but he said he had no money with him. So, I told him to wait for me there as I would come to him.
“I got to Agbarigo area and called him to know his exact location. I saw him come out of police vehicle with the officers escorting him. I asked him if he had smoked his usual marijuana which warranted his arrest, but the police told me it was more than that. I asked him what happened and he told me that he severed a human head from a corpse he saw in the bush. The police asked him to untie the bag and show me but I said there was no need for that because of the odour that would pollute the air.
“The police asked for the settlement of the issue, and Tayo asked me for the N15,000 he requested from me for his son and begged me to add N5,000 to it to make N20,000. When I counted the money to give them, the police said that they were no longer collecting the amount, but N200,000. I told them I could not give them the amount as I did not commit any crime. We started dragging it, and they asked us to move to their station to settle it as we had been at the spot for long. Before we moved, someone came in a car, parked and spoke with the police. What I heard from them was ‘he’s the one.’ The man told them to take me to the station.
“When we got there, they said they no longer wanted N200,000 but N1 million. They said they would allow me to call those who would support me in raising the money. I told them that I didn’t have the money to give them because I didn’t know anything about the matter. The policeman who met us there said: ‘Sebi iwo ni olugbeja (you’re the one that knows how to defend).’ I was thereafter locked in a cell.
“Between 12 a.m. and 1 a.m., they told me to look for the money at daybreak or else I would not like what would happen to me. In the morning, three police officers came to the cell entrance. One of them said I was the one dragging land issues with others at Alapata Community at Apete where I was living. He said it’s better for me to look for the money. I told them I had no money to give and they left.
“An hour later, I was picked from the cell. About 15 minutes after, they brought me and Akinrinola out. The human head was placed on my vehicle. They sprinkled petrol on it because of flies. Some of them recorded us with their phones, after which they asked us to pack the body parts in the bag they were brought out of. They took us to State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku. On getting there, they handed us over to police officers that were there. They took the pictures of the three of us with the head and individually. Thereafter, they took us to the cell. It was at about 11 a.m. on October 17.
“Thereafter, they took Tayo to another place. About two and a half hours later, they brought me and Taofeek Olalekan out to take our statements. I met the police officer that led the SRS team that arrested Tayo. They asked me to explain what happened and when I spoke, they said I should say the same thing the police officer said. I refused and they asked me to pull off my clothes. They started beating me. They tightened the handcuffs holding my hands and hit me with sticks. They told me that what they were doing to me was incomparable to that of Tayo, and I should follow them to see.
“I got there and saw him lying down, with his tightly-cuffed hands tied to a chair. His head was bleeding. I saw pick axe, machete and sticks used in beating him. They asked if I wanted to be treated that way and I said no. I told them I would cooperate but they should remember that those who arrested me asked for N1 million. They told me they could not write that. They wrote what they wanted and told me to sign and I did.”
On his claim that he was not arrested with Akinrinola, Olalekan and the sack containing the human parts while they were all together in his car, the prosecution team leader asked him why he didn’t go back to his house when he got to Agbarigo and was told what Tayo did, he replied that the police didn’t release him.
The judge adjourned the case until April 15 for the final written address.
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Oyo 2027: Adelabu Quits As Power Minister To Focus On Guber Race
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has formally resigned from his position in the Federal Government to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”
He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”
Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.
He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.
“It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”
The former minister said his resignation was to enable him focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State, citing provisions of the amended electoral law.
He added, “My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”
“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time.”
Adelabu’s exit marks a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly in Oyo State, where he is expected to contest the governorship election.
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Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa Resigned Voluntarily, Not Sacked – Presidency
The Presidency has clarified that Wale Edun (former Finance Minister) and Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (former Housing Minister) voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not sacked by President Tinubu.
In a statement released this evening April 22, presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said that contrary to public opinions, Wale Edun resigned on health grounds while Dangiwa also tendered his resignation and thanked the President for the opportunity given him to serve in the Federal Executive Council.
Onanuga stated that Edun, who clocked 70 on Monday and has battled recent ill health, fittingly submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.
“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda, Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected. I wish you and the administration every success in the future” he wrote
Onanuga stated that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation announced his departure from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa and held an hour-long discussion with the president and then left to focus on his private businesses.
The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.
‘’In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.
President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation” the statement concluded
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Unity Bank, Experts Advocate Green Investment, Climate Innovation To Drive Economic Resilience
Nigeria’s retail lender, Unity Bank Plc, alongside leading climate innovation experts, has called for increased investment in the green economy and the adoption of frontier technologies as critical pathways to driving economic resilience and reducing the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations across Africa.
The call was made during a thought-provoking webinar hosted by the Bank to commemorate this year’s Earth Day, themed “The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays?”. Climate experts and stakeholders convened to examine the human, economic, and institutional costs of climate change, while spotlighting practical solutions to address its growing impact.
In his opening remarks, Unity Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate risks from both a societal and business perspective.
He said: “Climate change is no longer a distant or abstract challenge. It is an existential threat with direct consequences for individuals, businesses, and economies. At Unity Bank, we recognise the role institutions must play in incorporating sustainability in project financing, supporting businesses and promoting solutions that build resilience in communities where we operate.”
The webinar featured Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder and CEO of Instollar, and Oluwatosin Ajide, Programme Manager at the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, both of whom provided insights into the drivers of climate change and the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.
Speaking during the session, Udo-Davis highlighted the disproportionate burden which climate change places on underserved communities and the need for inclusive solutions.
“The true cost of climate change is not evenly distributed. Communities with the least resources are often the most affected, whether through energy poverty, environmental degradation, or limited access to sustainable alternatives. Addressing this imbalance requires intentional investment in clean energy solutions that are both accessible and scalable.”
Ajide underscored the importance of coordinated, system-wide approaches in tackling climate challenges, particularly through innovation and policy alignment.
“Climate change is fundamentally a structural problem, and its solution requires a paradigm shift: from innovation and policy to financing and implementation. Stakeholders must work collaboratively to drive solutions that are sustainable and inclusive.”
The session also explored emerging opportunities in climate technology, renewable energy, and ecosystem financing, reinforcing the role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in building long-term resilience.
By hosting the webinar, Unity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing sustainability-focused dialogue and supporting initiatives that promote responsible growth and environmental stewardship.
The initiative underscores the Bank’s broader strategic focus on environmental sustainability as well as its commitment to financial inclusion.
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