The police in Lagos yesterday paraded three suspects who they believed were killers of Bayo Ohu, former Assistant Political Editor of The Guardian. The suspects were brought exclusively before reporters of The Guardian and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). Others were shut out, but were handed a press statement.

The Police in Lagos yesterday paraded three suspected killers of a jounalist,Mr Bayo Ohu.But, they chose to parade the suspects exclusively before reporters from The Guardian where he was Assistant Political Editor,, and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for reasons known to them. Others were handed a police statement.

Police spokesman Frank Mba, a Superintendent, said "we are following directives" when asked why reporters were shut out of the Mohammed Abubakar Conference Hall at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja venue of the briefing.

The statement is entitled: Investigation into the death of Bayo Ohu: the journey so far.

A source said the command may have been trying to avoid what happened during the Abayomi Ogundeji murder when members of the public and the press faulted the testimony of a man who police said witnessed the incident. Ogundeji, a journalist, was killed on October 28,2009.

Ohu was killed on September 20, 2009 at his home, 9, Oyeniji Street, Odukaya Estate, Akowonjo, Egbeda, outskirts of Lagos.

According to the statement signed by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Marvel Akpoyibo, police investigation into the incident has been meticulous, painstaking and discreet.

He said that investigators carefully analysed the call logs of the two telephone numbers belonging to the late Ohu contained in the two mobile handsets stolen by the bandits.

"Through a combined process of tracking, and tracing, one Rukayat Adeola whose GSM number was called with the slain journalist’s handset was arrested. With the assistance of the said Rukayat Adeola, two other suspects, namely Ismaila Adebisi alias Asumon, and Victor Omogbehin, were arrested. When the duo were searched, a Nokia N97 mobile phone handset, having the same code number with that of late Bayo Ohu was recovered from them. On interrogation, Ismaila Adebisi and Victor Omogbehin denied being robbers or murderers but confessed to being receivers of stolen or robbed property.

‘’Further investigation led to the arrest of eight other suspects, bringing the total number of suspects to 11 (nine men and two women). However, after a meticulous screening, only three of the suspects were directly implicated in the incident that led to the death of Bayo Ohu. They are: Dada Yemi Adesanya (23), Ganiu Suleman (28) and Idris Balogun (26).

"Police findings indicate that the above mentioned trio belong to a six-man deadly armed robbery gang that terrorised parts of Lagos at the time. Other members of the gang still at large are still being hounded by the police.

"Police investigation revealed that on the date of the incident, the gang, operating in a Honda Bull Dog Saloon Car, with registration number LAGOS, LB 876 AAA belonging to Kazzeem, the leader of the gang, had embarked on random robbery operation within Egbeda-Akowonjo axis of Lagos State. Before arriving and striking at the residence of Bayo Ohu, they had earlier snatched a Toyota Camry car from another victim. The owner of the car was locked up in the booth of the car and driven around the area whilst the gang search for other possible targets.

"‘The gang, using the snatched Toyota Camry car, struck at Adisa Ogunwemimo Street, Akonwojo, Agege, Lagos, where they pulled out the owner of the Toyota Camry car, locked him up with other victims in an apartment, before continuing with their operation. It was from Adisa Ogunwemimo Street, Akonwonjo, Agege that they headed toward the direction of Bayo Ohu’s residence and eventually picked his house as their next target.

"The suspect gained entrance into the compound of the deceased, when they took advantage of the gate already opened by the complainant, Omolara Ohu ‘f’ and her cousin, who were fetching water from the neighbourhood.

"Thereafter, they commenced their devilish operation, gaining entrance into the deceased apartment, through the kitchen door which was already opened. A chain of events were said to have led to the unfortunate shooting and eventual killing of the deceased.

‘The deceased, Bayo Ohu was said to have struggled with one of the armed robbers, in the erroneous belief that it was only one of them, that was armed. His audacity was said to have infuriated the robbers who wasted no time in shooting at him severally. Fatally injured, he eventually died.

The shots that killed Bayo Ohu were fired by Dada Yemi Adesanya. The armed robbers made away with his laptop and two mobile phones.

The Nokia N97 mobile phone and Toshiba were sold by the gang to "a notorious receiver of stolen property", Victor Omogbehin, who lives on Lagos Island, for N30, 000.

Omogbehin sold the Toshiba laptop to Shina (male)’ at Isale-Eko. The Nokia N97 was sold to Isamiala Adebisi (a.k.a Asumon). The Nokia phone and the Toshiba laptop have been recovered.

The vehicle, a Honda Bull Dog Saloon car with registration number LB 879 AAA, used by the hoodlums on the date of the incident, was again used by the gang in an attempts to rob a bank on Lagos Island, the police said.

‘The vehicle was abandoned at the bank when the gang submitted to the superior fire-power of the police.

‘The historical antecedent of the gang, its modus operandi which involved random attacks on targets and victims, coupled with the fact that items stolen from the deceased were sold immediately to criminal cohorts in the black market are some of the factors that helped investigators in establishing the motive.

"Meanwhile, three members of the gang, currently in police custody will soon be arraigned in a competent court of law on charges of conspiracy, armed robbery and murder," the statement read.