Why robbers killed clergy in wife, kids’ presence

The Chief Imam of a central mosque in Ifo, Ogun State has been shot to death in the presence of his wife and kids after he refused orders to open his gate.

The deceased, Alhaji Isiaka Koleosho, identified as the Chief Imam of Onihale Central Mosque, was shot dead after the bandits gained entry into his home by scaling the fence.

They entered his wife’s bedroom where he was killed in the presence of his family members. The gunmen were said to have also stormed the home of a school proprietor in the area.

The incident, which happened on April 21, 2015, threw the deceased’s family members and residents into fear, forcing some to relocate from the community.

A resident, simply identified as Tajudeen said: “The death of the Imam came to everybody in the community as a surprise. The deceased is our Chief Imam. But as a Muslim, his death does not stop us from using the mosque. We’ve have resigned to fate. When the armed robbers left the victim’s house, they went to a school proprietor’s apartment in the neighborhoods and dispossessed him of his valuables.”

A resident explained that when the armed robbers got to Koleosho’s house, they ordered him to open his gate, but he refused. The bandits were forced to scale the fence into his compound.  

Another resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “It was about 2am that we heard the screaming and loud noise from their apartment. They were shouting that people should come and rescue them. My mother and some other residents rushed to the cleric’s house. When they got there, they found him in a pool of his blood. The matter was reported at Ifo Police Station.”

He further said that the community had been having increasing cases of armed robbery, adding that the Ogun State Police Command should come to their aid.

The proprietor said: “I was fast asleep when the robbers entered my bedroom. They ordered me and my wife to bring out our money. I told them that we didn’t have enough money at home. One of them brought out a gun and pointed it at my wife. They went into her room and took her jewelries, my money and some other valuables. It was after the robbers had gone that I got to know that they had killed the Islamic cleric.”