Two suspected assassins arrested by operatives of the Lagos State police command, Osaro Okonobom and Lucky Oboh, have confessed that they were contracted by a London-based sister they named Augusta to kill her sister, Gladys Osaigbovo-Omon, a resident of Benin in Edo State.

Osaigbovo-Omon and Augusta are siblings of the same parents.

Okonobom said Augusta's reason for the attempt on her sister’s life was the role she accused her elder sibling of allegedly playing in a misunderstanding between her and her sister’s daughter.

In his confessional statement to the police, the suspect said that Augusta accused her sister of supporting her daughter who was said to have reported her to the British authorities that she (Augusta) was into human trafficking.

"Augusta said our aunt (her sister) supported her daughter when the matter came up in their family. I was home one day when she called to tell me I should help her kill that our aunt. I refused but she insisted. I later called a friend who contacted some people in Lagos to do the job. She agreed to pay us N4.5 million. We were arrested on our way to Benin," Okonobom stated.

The Lagos State Police Commissioner, Imohimi Edgal, who paraded the suspects before newsmen on Monday, disclosed that about four persons were arrested for allegedly attempting to kill a 60-year-old woman, Gladys Osaigbovo-Omon.

Edgal said that the suspects had confessed that Osaigbovo-Omon’s younger sister based in London, named Augusta, had contracted them to kill the woman. They were also said to have admitted they were given a part-payment of N500,000, with Augusta allegedly promising to pay them the balance of N4m after the job.

The police boss said, “’On July 26, 2018, the Divisional Police Officer, Igando police station and a team led by Inspector Cyril Komgbe rounded up a gang that had been mobilised to assassinate one Gladys Osaigbovo-Omon.

“The crux of the matter was a case of human trafficking gone awry. Gladys Osaigbovo-Omon and Augusta are siblings, the eldest in the family being Gladys.

"A time came when Gladys Osaigbovo-Omon begged her younger sister, Augusta, to take her daughter, Mercy, overseas for a better life. Augusta obliged and took Mercy to the UK. While in the UK, it dawned on Mercy that her aunt, Augusta, is a leader of a prostitution ring and, indeed, had recruited her into prostitution in London. Mercy refused to submit herself for the illicit trade, prompting Augusta to give her up to police authorities in the UK.

“Somehow, Mercy wriggled out of the trouble and convinced the UK police that her travail was caused by Augusta who brought her to London with job promises adding that unknown to her, her aunt had ulterior motives.

The police then arrested Augusta, and the court tried and jailed her.

"When Augusta finished her jail term, she complained to her sister, Gladys, that her daughter, Mercy, whom she brought from the village to help, has ruined her. Feeling that her sister was supporting her daughter, she decided to procure assassins to eliminate her in revenge. But the DPO, Igando, Chief Superintendent of Police Taiwo Kasumu, got a whiff of the plan to kill Gladys and planted two agents to play along with the hired assassins. The gang assembled and were paid N500,000 by Augusta, as mobilisation money for the job.

"Together they went to Benin-City and identified their target, Gladys Osaigbovo-Omon, after which they returned to Lagos and requested Augusta to give them the balance of N4m. It was at this stage that they were rounded up.”

Mrs Osaigbovo-Omon, who was in Lagos told journalists, “Augusta is my younger sister; we are of the same parents. She was doing well in London, but I did not know she was into an illicit business. When she came home, I begged her to help my last child, Mercy. We were very happy when she procured documents for Mercy and she travelled with her to London.

"Trouble started when Augusta wanted to force my daughter into prostitution but Mercy, who is a devoted Christian, refused to compromise. Augusta got angry that Mercy did not do her bidding and reported her to the UK police that she came to London with fake documents and Mercy was arrested. During interrogation, Mercy told the police that Augusta, who had spent 16 years in the UK, procured the documents for her. Augusta was arrested and jailed. After her jail sentence, Augusta decided to kill me because I did not advise Mercy to cooperate with her.

"I am a cheerful giver. When the assassins came, I offered them drinks and water; I did not even know they were coming to kill me. It was after their arrest that one of them confessed that the drinks and water I served them saved my life. One of the hoodlums reported the matter to the police. I thank God for saving me."

Edgal said he had contacted the International Police to wade into the matter and repatriate Augusta to Nigeria for prosecution

•Sourced from a Daily Trust report

•Suspects, Okonobom and Obom, arrested for planning to kill Mrs. Osaigbovo-Omon during the parade of suspected criminals at the Ikeja Police Command, Lagos on August 6, 2018. PHOTO BY: Benedict Uwalaka.

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