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| Lekan Shonde and CKN today at RRS office |
THE INITIAL CONTACT
Four days ago,I received a call from someone who
claimed to know me very well and who have been following my story on the
killing of a mother of two in Egbeda ,a surburb of Lagos..He went on to
introduce himself .I was still trying to make sense out of the name until he
mentioned a common friend that is close to me..
The name immediately arrested my attention and I started
paying attention to what he has to say.
His next statement jolted me..”CKN,I have something to
tell you and I seek your assistance and cooperation and advise on what do I
have chosen you because ,I see you as one of the most respected Journalist in
Nigeria and I know you ll treat whatever information I give you with all sense
of professionalism..I just read your story on the killing of Mrs Ronke Shonde, allegedly
by her husband..I know the husband very well and I have been in touch with him
on phone. He is in a hideout, can I get your cooperation and assistance in
convincing him to come out of hiding so that we can hand him over to the
police. The world really needs to hear his own side of the story he said”
The journalist instinct in me took the better of me..I
told him, I ll like to be of help whenever my assistance is needed once he
agrees to turn himself in.I also assured him that nothing will be written about
the story until Lekan is finally with the law enforcement agents.
The next question was how are we going to get that
done..I asked my contact to keep on talking to him and assure him that all will
be well but he has to do the needful by agreeing to surrender.
Some hours later, my contact (name withheld) informed again
that he has just spoken to Lekan Shonde and he has vowed to commit suicide. He
has fled to somewhere in the South West.
That in itself posed another challenge,how do we talk
him out of such act. Well,later we spoke again and he told him,he has convinced
him not to do that.
According to him, Lekan has always been a nice guy.He
is the friend and classmate of his immediate younger brother .
The trio attended Ikeja High School in Lagos. Lekan
according to him is not violent..He is a jolly good fellow but the question
that continued to agitate my mind was, how can someone with such attributes
take another life?.
THE LONG WAIT
Last night I had a call from him and he informed me
that Lekan has finally agreed to turn himself in but want to know how we can
involve the police .. I told him our best bet is the Rapid Response Squad
headed by ACP Tunji Disu.My interaction with Disu over the years has shown him
to be a very professional officer who can handle such incident with utmost
professionalism and efficiency.
We agreed to tidy up the loose ends this morning. Just
as discussed I got a call from him again this morning that all is now ready and
that Lekan will meet with him and another friend at a hotel in GRA Ikeja.
That the other friend of Lekan who is part of the
arrangement had already contacted ACP Tunji Disu who is expected to send in his
officers to pick him up.
I called ACP Disu who confirmed the arrangement
assuring that his men will be on ground to do their job.
All was now set for the final part..True to his words, Lekan
showed up but a little mistake got him edgy and he fled.He were all scared that
he ll escape again.
His two common friends who were to meet with were
confused and now we have to start another round of negotiation with him..
I was in another part of Ikeja monitoring the situation
since I was not a familiar face, my presence could lead to his final disappearance.
Finally, the movement
moved to another part of Ikeja where he finally handed over himself to the
officers of RRS and was driven with his friends to the office of the RRS at the
State Secretariat, Alausa Ikeja where he was interrogated and fed because he
was looking so hungry and unkept..
Apparently,he have not had his bath for days and must
have been wearing the same clothe for days. His eyes were bloodshot from lack
of sleep .He kept on shaking his head and intermittently cried .
Merely looking at Lekan,he was obviously a man who has
lost his freedom .
Lekan is in his late 40s,about 6.1ft,dark in complexion
,speaks fluent English and sound well lettered and exposed.
WATCH
OUT FOR PART 2..MY FACE TO FACE MEETING WITH LEKAN, HIS OWN SIDE OF THE STORY
AND THE MAN THAT WRECKED THEIR MARRIAGE…
Chris
Kehinde Nwandu (CKN) is a Journalist,Blogger and Ag National President
,Bloggers Association of Nigeria
Tags
Society