The Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Adeola has accused soldiers of the Nigeria Army operating checkpoints around Ikeja axis of Lagos State as the ones responsible for the killing of his late aide,  Adeniyi Sanni, in the early hours of Saturday, August 5, 2023.

The Ogun west Senator had earlier stated that information available to him on the circumstances that led to Sanni's death indicates the late aide was stopped at a checking point around  Ojodu- Berger Area of Lagos on his way to his home at Isheri by “security agents” who asked him to provide the documents of the car he was driving, which he did through a call to his wife who sent all the documents to him on WhatsApp.

It was gathered that the wife called a while later and the late Sanni told him soldiers are still checking the vehicle’s paper. That was said to be the last she heard from her husband.The body of Sanni, ridden with bullets was later discovered at Toyota Bus Stop area of Oshodi, close to a military barrack.

In an update about the investigation of the murder and armed robbery by the Nigerian Police Force, through a statement issued in Abuja, Senator Adeola stated that he is of the firm believe, based on available facts at the disposal of the Police that his aide was killed by a syndicate of soldiers operating under the newly deployed Commander of 9 Brigade, Ikeja Cantonment of the Nigeria Army, Brigadier General Nsikan John Edet, through mounting of checkpoints and robbing of lone occupants of cars. Access 24 has not been able to independently verify this.

Senator Adeola in the statement he personally signed said top Police sources familiar with the investigation informed him that a similar brutal killing and armed robbery occurred around the same Ojodu- Berger late Thursday night of August 17, 2023,  resulting in the killing of another Nigerian whose body was discovered around Iyana- Ipaja after he was taken away by "soldiers" from the checkpoint.

According to information revealed by the senator, unknown to the soldiers, the occupant of the car they killed and took away was the second car in a convoy of two heading towards the same destination. The first car passed the soldiers checkpoint but the second car was stopped to check his vehicle’s papers.

According to the senator, On noticing the absence of the second car after a while, the occupant of the first car (name withheld) placed a call to his colleague in the second car who informed him that he was being taken to Iyana Ipaja by the soldiers at the checkpoint. That was the last he heard from him and his dead body was later discovered dumped on the road just like Mr. Sanni.

He said the survivor in the first car reported the case to the Police and a pattern of armed robbery and killing in the area involving men in Army uniform was established.

Senator Adeola called on the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja to direct the fishing out of the killers of his aide for further investigation, prosecution, and justice for the deceased.

He added that the Nigerian Army cannot be seen to cordon off or harbour rogue elements robbing and killing innocent Nigerians within its fold.

The senator said till date, the black Toyota Camry of Mr. Sanni, his phones, and other valuables are yet to be recovered.