The serene Government Reservation Area (GRA), Ibara in Abeokuta, Ogun state, was jolted in the early hours of Sunday, as persons suspected to be arsonists burnt to ashes a couple shortly after they returned from Cross over service.
It was reliably gathered that the husband, Kehinde Fatinoye was a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), while the wife, Bukola before her gruesome death was a staff of the Federal University of Agriculture (FUNNAB), Abeokuta, Ogun state.
The victims were burnt beyond recognition with their remains later packed by policemen and other health officials at the scene, and driven to the hospital in an ambulance.
The suspected arsonists who were said to have trailed the couple to their private residence before setting the house ablaze were also reported to have whisked away the son of the victims.
A source at the residence of the deceased told newsmen that, the suspected arsonists were reported to have kidnapped the son alongside the housemaid, and thrown them into a river along the Adigbe-Obada axis of the town.
It was also gathered that number of church members of the couple who rushed to the house shortly after the spread of the news, confirmed that they held the crossover service together at a church located in Okejigbo area of Abeokuta.
The sympathizers from the church said they could not believe their ears on hearing the ugly development, saying they suspect that the arsonists might have trailed the couple to their home to carry out the callous crime
A cousin of the late Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) official, Ambrose Somide who confirmed the sad incident, said, he could not explain what might be behind the dastard development
Meanwhile, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof.Olusola Babatunde Kehinde has paid a condolence visit to the Ibara GRA, Abeokuta private residence of the Fatinoyes.
Prof. Kehinde described the death of Mrs Fatinoye, a senior staff of the University, and her husband as gruesome and a rude shock to the University community, which came at a time when the dawn of a new year is being celebrated globally.
Prof. Kehinde urged security agencies to as a matter of urgency unravel and bring perpetrators of the dastard act to justice as soon as possible.
He prayed God to give the relations and the entire members of the University community that the deceased left behind the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
Confirming the incident, the Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi said it was a pure case of assassination.
He said, “when the couple were killed, their remains were equally set ablaze”.
“After the dastard act, the couple’s son and their housemaid were kidnapped and thrown into a river. Though the housemaid has been rescued alive, we are yet to see the son”.
While confirming that one person has been arrested in connection with the incident, Oyeyemi assured that those behind the dastard act would be arrested and brought to book.
He added that an investigation is in progress on the matter.
