OGUN, Nigeria – A 45-year-old man, Gbenga Ogunfadeke, has been arrested in Ogun State for allegedly chaining and locking his two children in solitary confinement which led to their death, according to Channels Television.
Ogunfadeke was arrested on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, in the Waterside Local Government Area, LGA, of the state by men of the State Security Network, Amotekun.
The state commander of the Amotekun security outfit, David Akinremi, confirmed this in a statement made available to journalists in Abeokuta, the state capital.
It was gathered that the suspect, a father of three, had accused his children of stealing, chained and locked them in solitary confinement without food and water for over three months, allegedly leading to the death of two children.
He was also accused of maltreating the children, whose ages range between 16 and 18 since he took custody of them, following his crashed marriage with their mother, Busola Otusegun.
The suspect was said to have been arrested after a complaint by his ex-wife.
“One of the three children came across his aunty in Ibiade where he currently lives with his father (suspect) and narrated their experience with their father which led to the death of his two elder siblings between April and June, 2022 in Ijebu-Ode where they were all living with the suspect until he relocated back to Ibiade,” the Amotekun commandant said.
One of the victims narrated that their father chained and locked them in solitary confinement, without food and water for over three months which led to the death of the two siblings, adding that he alone “miraculously” survived the ordeal.
Akinremi stated that the suspect, when interrogated, admitted to the alleged confinement of the children for months, but denied depriving them of food and being responsible for their death.
According to the suspect, his action was based on the children’s involvement in stealing, hence the need to ensure they are prevented from such criminal action.
He added that the suspect claimed that the two deceased children were taken to hospital for treatment at different times when they fell ill, but unfortunately died in the process.
“What is however curious about his defence is that the hospital where he claimed the two children died in Ijebu Ode could neither be located nor where he allegedly buried them behind a rented apartment he lived in Ijebu-Ode before relocating to his present abode in Ibiade with the third child for possible exhumation be traced.
“The fact that he refused to make the incidents known to any member of the family also gives course for concern more so when the suspect is a herbalist, thus further fuelling the suspicion of having killed the deceased for possible rituals,” Akinremi added.
The case has reportedly been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation with a view to establishing further facts that will facilitate the suspect’s prosecution of the suspect.
