Police Nab Housemaid, 14, Over Killing Of University Lecturer

AISHA ABUBAKAR 

Police operatives from the Niger State Command have arrested a 14-year old housemaid, Joy Afekafe, as a prime suspect in the killing of a Federal University of Technology Minna lecturer, Dr Funmilola Sherifat Adefolalu.

It was reported how Adefolalu, a lecturer in Niger State, was found dead in her home in the Gbaiko area of Minna, the state capital. The lecturer of the Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, was found dead in a pool of blood.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that the deceased lecturer’s body was discovered when her church members traced her home after she was not seen during service.

Some residents stated that the late lecturer’s husband, who was a professor in the same school had earlier passed on. The late lecturer reportedly sacked a female home help, who was staying with her and was found dead shortly after.

However, according to the Police, an investigation revealed that the 14-year old housemaid, Afekafe, alongside her classmates identified as Walex and Smart, attacked the lecturer. Meanwhile, the two accomplices are said to be on the run.

Wasiu Abiodu, the spokesperson for the State Police Command on Tuesday in a statement, disclosed that the deceased had injury marks on her body. He said Afekafe was arrested on October 30, 2023, in the Gbeganu area of Minna.

He said, “Police operatives attached to Bosso Division visited the scene and two bloodstained knives suspected to have been used to stab her by unknown person(s) were recovered from the scene. The body was taken to the IBB Hospital, Minna where she was confirmed dead”.

“During interrogation, the suspect confessed that she served as the deceased’s housemaid for about three weeks, and she was laid off due to her misdeed in the house.

“After she was laid off, she met her classmates called Walex and Smart, narrated her ordeal to them and conspired to attack the lecturer at her residence.

“Afekafe said they went to the lecturer’s residence on October 28, 2023, around 1600hrs, with a motorcycle and she surfaced at the gate, while the lecturer opened the gate for her.

“Walex and Smart later entered, beat and hit the lecturer’s head with a stool and stabbed her with a knife brought by Walex while Smart took another knife from the kitchen, and stabbed her severally.

“She (Afekafe) said the deceased’s phone and laptop were taken away, while they also removed the battery of the vehicle parked in the compound and fled the scene.”

“The suspect will be transferred to SCID for further investigation and diligent prosecution, while effort is ongoing to arrest the fleeing other suspects” the Police Spokesperson said.