The Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Lagos State has apprehended three men for attempting to assassinate a Lagos socialite and businessman, Mr. Victor Adelakun, aka Ade Lexus.
According to a report by PUNCH, the suspects were allegedly hired by an Ibadan-based hotelier, Mr. Adebayo Orekoya, aka Bobby Ibadan, who had been declared wanted by the Lagos State Police Command.
According to police authorities, Bobby Ibadan hired four men in Ibadan to do the job and gave them an advance of N140, 000.
Report says when the suspects arrived in Lagos on Saturday, they held a meeting at a night club in Allen Avenue Ikeja, where they were said to have made plans for the operation.
A SARS informant was said to have eavesdropped on their conversation and immediately alerted the officer in charge of SARS, SP Abba Kyari.
It was learnt that Kyari subsequently sent a team of SARS operatives which stormed the night club around 1am and arrested three of the suspects while one of them escaped.
gathered that when the police searched the suspects, guns were found on them including a picture of their target.
A police bulletin made available to our correspondent read in part, "Around 1am on May 10, 2014, information was received that four assassins were sent from Ibadan by one Adebayo Orekoya, aka Bobby Ibadan, who lives in Ibadan GRA, Oyo State.
"The instruction given to the assassins was to kill one Ade Victor Adelakun of Ogudu GRA, Lagos.
"Consequently, two SARS teams proceeded to the night club where the suspects were planning their attack. Three men, Ibrahim Lawal, 27; Yomi Olanrewaju, 25; and Emmanuel Adewale, 25; were arrested, while their driver, identified only as Samuel, escaped in a Sienna Spacebus.
"Upon interrogation, the suspects confessed that Bobby Ibadan sent them to kill Ade Lexus, his former business partner. N100,000 out of the N140,000 given to the suspects as mobilisation fee have been recovered as well as a picture of the victim."
Our correspondent learnt that SARS detectives were able to establish contact with Bobby Ibadan using the telephone of one of the suspects.
Bobby Ibadan, who did not know that SARS had arrested his boys, was alleged to have said, "I want that job done today by all means. Go to the night club where Ade Lexus hangs out and go and kill him there. If you don't see him at the night club, go to his house and get the job done."
It was learnt that SARS detectives rushed down to Ibadan to arrest Bobby Ibadan, but he was said to have escaped.
Ade Lexus told reporters at his showroom on Lateef Jakande Street, Ikeja, that he still did not understand why Bobby Ibadan would want to terminate his life.
He thanked SARS men for the "incredible work", insisting he was still alive because of their efforts.
He said, "Bobby is not my business associate, He is not my friend either. A friend of mine in the United Kingdom was the one that introduced him to me. I have met with Bobby only on a few occasions.
"If he had succeeded with the assassination, no one would have suspected him because he does not stay in Lagos and we do not chat often. He told me to lend him money a while ago for a business project, but I turned him down. Maybe that is what made him angry.
"Also, the arrested suspects said Bobby alleged that I snatched his wife. That is not true; I am a happily married man with beautiful children.
"Anyway, I must thank SARS men for this breakthrough. I was surprised to receive a call from the SARS commander that I was the target of an assassination. I did not know the Nigeria Police worked in such a manner, I am impressed."
Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on the telephone, but promised to give details later.