Monday Elala, the father of 14-year-old Tope Elela, who was reportedly killed and buried, has allegedly confessed to taking his son’s life due to his involvement in housebreaking, theft, and other unlawful activities.
The incident occurred in Ajowa Akoko, located in the Akoko North-West Local Government Area of Ondo State, where Elala described Tope as the “black sheep” among his seven children.
The father and his wife were alleged to have killed the Tope Elela following which they were arrested by police
Speaking at the police headquarters in Akure, where he was paraded by Ondo State Commissioner of Police, CP Wilfred Afolabi, Elala explained that after his son passed away following a beating, he buried him in a shallow grave beneath a banana tree behind their house.
“I did not know that the boy would die when I beat him in the night after he escaped from the custody of the State Security Network, Amotekun,” Elala explained.
He revealed that he had often handed Tope over to Amotekun or local vigilante groups whenever he was caught stealing or engaging in other criminal activities.
According to Elela, after the boy’s escape from Amotekun’s custody, the family was humiliated by his actions, prompting a severe beating.
“The deceased had escaped from Amotekun’s detention and was embarrassing the family because of his criminal activities. When he came back, we beat him and went to sleep. The following morning, his siblings discovered that he was dead, and I decided to bury him under a banana tree,” he said.
Elela was among 25 other suspects paraded by the police for various crimes, including murder, cultism, theft, and housebreaking. Some of those paraded were involved in recent cult clashes in Owo that resulted in five deaths.
Among the suspects was 28-year-old Olamide Ogunseyila, who admitted to being a member of a cult group, as well as Gbenga Bisi, 25, and Gbenga Esther, 20, who were allegedly found at a hideout with firearms and ammunition.
The police also paraded 61-year-old Ijarotimi Taye, who had physical injuries but could not explain their origin, raising suspicion about his involvement in criminal activity.
CP Afolabi also mentioned that Bero Adeola, 30, and Olabode Ojo (alias Paw paw), who had claimed that his brother’s wife and child were victims of the cult violence, were arrested in Akure.
“These suspects confessed to being part of the Aye cult group and claimed that the violence was between the Eiye and Aye groups,” CP Afolabi added. “They left Owo to avoid being involved in the conflict.”
Additional suspects, including Ijalade Olorunfemi, 42, and Ayodele Olayemi, 20, are also under investigation for their suspected involvement in cult activities.
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