A Lagos driver, Shakiru Bello, who was arrested for
allegedly killing his wife, Sherifat, said he cut her
remains into pieces to escape the wrath of her father,
Akeem Atanda, and to avoid being prosecuted for her
death.
Shakiru added that after hiding her remains in different
uncompleted buildings in Lagos, he fled to Ibadan, Oyo
State.
A team from the Ijora Badia Police Division, led by the
Operations Officer, ASP Talabi Segun, recovered
Sherifat’s head and neck in Morocco, Yaba, while other
parts of her body were recovered in another
uncompleted building on Moshalashi Street, Somolu.
A Punch correspondent gathered that Sherifat and
Shakiru, who were married for over nine years, were
separated in July 2016.
The victim, who lived on Daramola Street in the Ijora
Badia area, had, however, last Monday reportedly
demanded money for the upkeep of their three children.
Shakiru was said to have invited her to a location
where they allegedly met. She never returned home.
The victim’s father, Akeem, on Tuesday reported a case
of missing person to the police, leading to a search for
the suspect.
A source said Akeem told policemen that an
unidentified number called him that his daughter fell
into a lagoon.
The source said, “The police tracked the number, and
discovered that the caller was in Ibadan. He (Shakiru)
was arrested and brought down to Lagos around 1am
on Saturday.”
The suspect was said to have led the police to the two
uncompleted buildings where the remains of the late
Sherifat were recovered.
Shakiru said, “After we separated, I secretly reconciled
with her and we started meeting. On the average, I
gave her N15,000 in a week. On that Monday, she
called me that she needed money and we agreed to
meet.
“I gave her N10,000 that evening. She later begged me
to accompany her to Lagos Island where her niece was
admitted in a hospital. We took a motorcycle and were
on the Third Mainland Bridge when a truck hit us from
behind.
“I took her to my house on Olaleye Street, Somolu,
around 12am. I went out to get her balm and some
drugs. Unfortunately, she died. I was afraid of her
father, who didn’t want to see us together.
Also, I couldn’t report to the police, so I decided to put
her body in a sack and dispose of it. When it was not
going into the sack, I cut off her arms, head, legs and
other parts.”
A police source, however, told Punch correspondent
that the private parts of the victim were missing,
saying the suspect might not be acting alone.
A Punch correspondent visited Akorede Street, Ijora
Badia, where scores of sympathisers besieged the
victim’s parents’ house.
Sherifat’s younger sister, Shakirat Kareem, said her
sister was separated from the husband sometime in
July 2016.
She said, “He told her that he was given a medicine
which both of them must rub on their bodies before
making love. My sister tricked him and secretly told
another relative, who informed my father. My father
ordered us to go and pack her luggage. That was how
they separated.
“But four weeks ago, he called her on the telephone
and said he wanted to see her, but my sister refused. I
grabbed the phone from her and told him never to call
her again.”
The victim’s father, Akeem, said he was informed that
his daughter was missing last Tuesday, adding that
when he called the suspect, he denied knowing her
whereabouts.
He said, “He told us he was at a traditional healing
home in Ibadan where he was receiving treatment for
an accident. When we got there, the owner of the home
denied seeing him.
“We went to his mother’s house and she said she was
coming out to see us. We later noticed she had
sneaked out through the back door and escaped.
“The police in Lagos later asked us to come down; that
they had arrested him. The Area Commander, Area B,
told me that my daughter had been killed and her
corpse cut into pieces.
“The police should arrest all those involved in the
killing. I want justice for her. It is unfortunate that my
daughter has three children for him.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo
Badmos, said investigations were ongoing.
“The state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, has
directed that the suspect be prosecuted in a law court
at the end of investigations,” she added.
