‘I clubbed the American when charms failed to extort money from him’

The Intervention Squad of the Zone 2 Police Command yesterday arrested one Orabe Philips Leo, for luring and attempting to kill his American visitor, Robert Wheelers in Lagos.

Based on their previous relationship when the American worked with Tony Elumelu Foundation in 2015, the victim asked the suspect to pick him from the airport when he arrived in Lagos on August 25, 2017.

After he was picked from the airport, the suspect drove him straight to his residence at Adeniyi Street, Ikorodu, where he was to stay until his return to the United States.

However, at midnight, the suspect turned from host to tormentor as he attacked his visitor and left him in a pool of his own blood and fled to safety.

Upon receiving the distress call, the squad from the command was dispatched to launch a manhunt for the suspect while the victim was rushed to the hospital.

Two weeks after the manhunt was launched, the suspect was nabbed with the help of intelligence report, which indicated his hideout within Ikorodu.

He was picked up and during interrogation by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Ibrahim Adamu, the suspect confessed to have clubbed the victim’s head with a pestle three times.

According to the suspect, he attempted to murder his visitor because he allegedly reneged on his promise to give him an unspecified amount of money.

“He refused to fulfill his promise to me after I had invested so much in my effort to get money from him. I even consulted a white garment church where I was given a charm to use on the man. It would have worked but I got angry when the victim didn’t obey my instructions,” he said.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in charge of Zone 2, SP Dolapo Badmos, said investigation is ongoing, adding that the AIG has directed that no stone be left unturned in unraveling the case.