The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned a Beniniose couple and an alleged accomplice before an Ebute-Meta Magistrates’ Court over the alleged murder of a 45-year-old man identified as Mr. Ayoola Bello.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Olohundare Jimoh Moshood, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to curbing criminality and ensuring the safety of lives and property across the state.
Detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, led by they Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dayo Akinbisehin, arrested the suspects following investigations into the killing of the deceased in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
The suspects — Sunday Sojunu, 35, his wife Toyin Sojunu, 31, and an accomplice, Dare Sampson, 32 — were arraigned on Wednesday on a three-count charge bordering on murder. Their pleas were not taken.
Magistrate Mrs. O. O. Adeosun ordered that the two male defendants be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, while the female defendant was remanded at the Kirikiri Female Correctional Facility.
The court further directed that the case file be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice and adjourned the matter to January 21, 2026.
Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP Kehinde Olatunde, informed the court that the suspects were apprehended on November 24 for their alleged roles in the crime.
According to the prosecution, Toyin, a TikTok content creator, met the deceased on the social media platform, and both became friends. On September 15, she allegedly traveled to Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, under the pretext of visiting Benin Republic, and spent two days with the deceased at a hotel.
The prosecutor stated that Toyin later confessed the affair to her husband, after which the couple allegedly planned to lure the deceased to their residence in Ikorodu. The accomplice was reportedly hired to assist in the act.
The prosecution alleged that the deceased was held captive and ransom collected from his family before he was eventually killed. His remains were later disposed of in a remote area of the state.
The offences, the prosecutor said, contravene Sections 165, 222, and 233 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015.
Speaking with journalists at the court premises, the daughter of the deceased, Miss Afusat Bello, alleged suspicious financial activities shortly before and after her father’s death.
She said the family had transferred about ₦76,000 to individuals who claimed they would assist with a business arrangement.
According to her, communication ceased after the transfer, and repeated calls were either unanswered or met with excuses.
Miss Bello further stated that attempts to reach her father later failed and his phone was switched off.
The family subsequently accessed the account used for the transaction and discovered several unusual withdrawals made at odd hours, which she described as inconsistent with her father’s financial habits.
She added that a man who later came to collect additional money was identified as being connected to the earlier transaction, raising further suspicion.
The family has called on authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the financial dealings and the circumstances surrounding Mr. Bello’s death, saying they are seeking justice and clarity.
