By Elizabeth Godwin
The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned 44-year-old Wasiu Akinwande, popularly known as Olori Eso, a suspected hired assassin described as one of the most vicious and notorious killers in the state. He was brought before the Ogba Magistrate Court on Tuesday on 11 counts, including murder, unlawful possession of firearms, and conspiracy to commit felony.
Police spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arraignment in a statement, revealing that Akinwande was arrested in Ogun State during a high-stakes tactical operation code-named ‘Silence, Speed and Surprise’ led by the Command’s Tactical Squad.
Akinwande, who had long eluded capture, is accused of terrorising Mushin and nearby communities, with several families identifying him as responsible for the deaths of their loved ones. According to the police, his arrest marks a significant breakthrough in ongoing investigations into a string of violent crimes across Lagos.
Recovered during the raid on his Mushin residence was a cache of weapons and incriminating materials. The items include:
- Two AK-47 rifles
- One K2 assault rifle
- One Red Ryder rifle
- Three pump-action shotguns
- Two locally made pistols
- Five magazines
- 57 live cartridges
- 70 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition
- 27 rounds of 9mm ammunition
- One expended 5.56mm round
- One dagger
- Three walkie-talkies
- Nine international passports belonging to different individuals
Hundeyin stated that Akinwande freely confessed to using the seized arms during killings carried out with his gang. He also noted that despite fleeing from one state to another, the suspect was relentlessly pursued and finally apprehended by the Command.
Four families have already come forward to formally identify Akinwande as the man behind the killings of their children and wards.
In response to the development, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to lead a team of seasoned detectives in expanding the investigation and tracking down all other suspects connected to Akinwande.
CP Jimoh reassured Lagos residents of the Command’s commitment to ensuring safety and security across the state, stressing that no criminal, no matter how elusive, would escape justice.
