The two suspects who attacked the Luggard Avenue, Ikoyi residence of the Managing Director of Maersk Line Shipping Company, Gildas Tohouo, on Sunday had smuggled in their weapons and hid them in an empty flat in the estate several days before the incident.
An estate electrician Goke Olamilekan and his friend Akande Adeyinka allegedly attacked the family on Sunday night, killing the Tohouo’s wife Benedeth after robbing her of cash, ATM cards and other valuables while leaving him critically injured.
Fresh information gathered on Friday revealed that the suspects, who have since been detained at the homicide unit of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Panti, plotted the attack on the family for three weeks.
It was gathered that Olamilekan had told his friend to tell the security men at the gate that he was in the estate to see one Mr. Max, a name that coincided with that of a resident there.
The Nation gathered that the duo did not know that Touoho was at home at the time they struck as their main target was his wife.
According to a police source, the suspects would have escaped but for the insistence Commissioner of Police (CP) Hakeem Odumosu that a thorough search be conducted in the neighbourhood.
The source said one of the suspects was found on top of a mango tree by the CP who flashed a high-definition torchlight in surrounding bushes.
“The CP received the distress call and raced to the scene in less than an hour. He was on patrol when he got the message. Everywhere was dark and so, the CP brought out a very bright and big torch from his car.
“As we were going there, he called both the Area Commander and the DPO (Divisional Police Officer) in charge of the area to join him.
“He practically smoked the suspects out from their hiding places. Those suspects would have escaped if the CP had not taken the urgent steps he took.
“He insisted that everywhere in the estate be searched despite everyone else itching to go home. He insisted that the police must get a lead that would help both investigation and quick arrest of the suspects if they had fled.
“With his insistence, all other officers had no choice but to obey. It was while the search was going on that he flashed his torch up and then saw one of them hiding atop a mango tree. He was promptly arrested,” he said.
Asked why the suspects were yet to be paraded before the media, the source said the Inspector General of Police (IG) Mohammed Adamu planned to personally question them, adding that the detectives handling the case were also avoiding sensational reports.
