How SARS Killed Father Of Five In My Hotel, Cart Away N4 Million, Hotelier Tells Osun Panel Of Inquiry

An hotelier in Osun State, Dauda Adigun, has told the Osun State panel of inquiry, set up to investigate Police brutality and extra-judicial killings in the state how the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) killed a 40-year-old butcher, Ismail Rasheed in his hotel.

Adigun told the panel during the sitting on Saturday that the discovery of the deceased’s corpse has negatively affected his business saying people have stigmatised his guest house.

He said that the SARS officers identified as “Odua” “Are” shot the father of five who lodged in the hotel, ILE LABO SINMI OKO GUEST HOUSE, Along Iwo/Ibadan Expressway, Iwo, Osun State.

The duo of the SARS officers in the Guest House, shot dead the deceased, Ismaila, in his cold blood and carted away a sum of N4 Million meant for the purchase of rams.

The hotelier said that his Guest House has been abandoned by his customers owing to the dastardly act perpetrated by the SARS officers who were also occupants in the hotel.

It was gathered that the deceased Ismaila left Ore, Ondo State, on July 17, 2020, on a mission to buy rams for Eid Fitri Celebrations.

Ismail loadged at the guest house about 9:30 p.m. with the intention of passing night in the hotel till the following day when he would embark on a journey to the northern part of Nigeria to buy rams in large quantity for his customers for Sallah celebration.

The petitioner said the manager of his hotel, Afeez Tella, left the Guest House, at about midnight on account of having malaria and about 12:30 midnight after he had left, another young staff, Afeez, called him that the deceased Ismaila Rasheed wanted to change his Room from Room G and the Manager obliged him through the young staff, Afeez.

“At about 3:30 A.M, one of the officers of the SARS in the Guest House, called the Manager, Afeez Tella Adio, that they had shot dead one of the thieves that invaded the Guest house.

“In order to beef up security along Iwo/Ibadan Expressway, two Police Officers, from Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) had been accommodated in the Guest House by the owner, Alhaji Ayo Dauda Adigun, on the consent of the Divisional Police Officer, DPO.
The two officers, “Odua” and “Are” had stayed in the Guest House for about seven months free-of-charge.

“Late Ismaila Rasheed was given Room G in the Guest house by the Manager, Afeez
Tella Adio. The deceased enjoyed with the guests particularly the football fans that came to watch the match between Arsenal and Liverpool on that day.

“The Manager, Afeez Tella Adio, left the Guest House, at about midnight on
account of having malaria and about 12:30 midnight after he had left, another young staff, Afeez, called him that the deceased Ismaila Rasheed wanted to change his Room from Room G and the Manager obliged him through the young staff, Afeez.

“The Manager, Afeez Tella Adio, rushed to the Guest House and found Ismaila Rasheed in his pool of blood. The Manager said he heard from the deceased “Omo Ole, e ti pa mi” – “Thieves, you have killed me”.

“At about 6:20 am on 18/7/2020, the Manager ran to the house of the owner of the Guest House, at No. 131, Adegbodu’s Compound, Gidigbo Quarters, Iwo, to inform him of the development.

“Alhaji Ayo Dauda Adigun, the owner of the Guest House, ran there and found the
D.P.O. and other officers of the Nigeria Police had been there before him.