ASSASSINATED COUPLE LAID TO REST IN ABEOKUTA AMIDST TEARS, CURSES

...one suspect in police net as cleric calls for diligent investigation to unravel killers

The remains of the couple assassinated at the early hours of New Year day, Kehinde Fatinoye and Oluwabukola Fatinoye, inside Government Reservation Area (GRA), Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital have been laid to mother earth, on Tuesday, twenty-four hours after the sad incident. 

The burial service for the deceased, which took place at Christ Anglican Church, Iporo-Ake area of the town was conducted by Rev S.K Oyewale and was attended by families and large number of sypmphatizers, who thronged the church premises to pay their last respect.

Nigerian Newstrack reports that it was a sorrowful sight as the sympathisers could not hold back tears stating that the family who are now no more was just recovering from the loss of a child last year. 

They cried bitterly during the burial service and interment, as many rained curses on the suspected arsonists who carried out the callous crime.

The deceased Kehinde Fatinoye and Oluwabukola Fayinoye, who were staffers of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Federal University of Agriculture (FUNNAB) Abeokuta respectively were reported to have been murdered and set ablaze in their home.

The victims were burnt beyond recognition, while their son was allegedly abducted by the suspected arsonists, who later threw him into a river along Adigbe-Obada axis of the town, and his body is yet to be recovered as at the time of filing this report

The remains of the couple put in separate white colour caskets, were after the church service transported in a white colour hearse to a cemetery in Lantoro area of Abeokuta, where they were committed to mother earth.

In his sermon, the cleric Reverend Oyewale lamented the sudden death of the couple, who before their untimely death were part of the congregation at the church for a crossover service ahead of the New Year.

The clergyman, however, called for justice and requested the authorities to conduct diligent investigation to unravel those behind the heinous crime, with conviction that God will deal appropriately with the perpetrators

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the police have arrested a suspect in the gruesome murder of the couple, adding that an investigation was ongoing to unravel the killers and their motive, affirming that it was a case of suspected assassination.

According to him, "the incident happened after 12 in the morning. It is true that a couple was killed and set ablaze at their residence in Abeokuta, shortly after they returned from Cross over Service. This is a clear case of assassination and we are not leaving any stone unturned to unravel those behind the killings".

"One person has been arrested by our operatives in connection to the incident. We will get to the root of the matter, as investigation has since begun", Oyeyemi said.

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