Adigun Oriyomi, 29, a notorious gang leader and suspected serial killer, was on Monday, sentenced to death by hanging by the Lagos State High Court, after he was arraigned on multiple counts of murder. The court convicted him of killing his best friend, Femi Adekeye, in front of his 4-year-old daughter.
He had been arrested for murder on September 9, 2013, and arraigned before the Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s Court where he confessed to being a member of the Black Axe Confraternity and owned up to four other murders between 2010 and 2013.
He was later released under controversial circumstances, after which he jumped bail. On January 29, 2014, he reportedly led gunmen to Amodu Street, Mushin, where they killed a pregnant woman, Musili Bello, her 12-year-old daughter, Suliat, and a motorcycle rider, Baba Monday.
On February 10, 2014, the police said he also led a gang to Ewenla Street, Mushin, and killed another woman, 38-year-old Agbabiaka, her 4-month-old baby, Aishat, and another woman, Adeboye.
It was reported in March 2014, that he killed his best friend, Adekeye, in front of his four-year-old daughter on February 12, 2014, at Isa Street in Aboru, Ipaja, Lagos State. In April 2014, the police said he again led a suspected team of cultists to Akala Street, Mushin, and killed one 26-year-old Azeez.
He escaped all the murder charges, except for that of his best friend whom he killed in front of the daughter. A police source said, “The testimony of the little girl was what saved the case. After we could not establish the other murder charges due to absence of strong evidences, the small girl gave an eloquent testimony of how her father was killed in her presence.
She narrated how Adigun entered their room with a ‘big gun’ and her father begged him to kill only him and spare the lives of his children. She told the court that immediately he shot her dad dead, she quickly carried her baby sister and ran away from the room.”
