Drunk Guard Kills Babcock University Female Student In Hotel

A security guard, Azeez Ibrahim, has
shot dead a female undergraduate of
Babcock University, Busayo
Ogunkoya, during a birthday party in
a hotel in Ikorodu, Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro learnt that 22-year-old
Ogunkoya was celebrating with her
friends on Saturday evening, July 5,
2014, at Mambillah Hotel, when the
guard fired a shot that killed her.
Our correspondent learnt that
immediately the incident happened,
there was confusion as the people fled
the hotel.
A source said Ibrahim was drunk.
He said, “The incident happened on
Saturday night when Busayo and her
friends were having a party.
“She did not know the person
celebrating, but she was invited to the
party by her boyfriend.
“The party was going on fine until the
security man, who was holding a gun
which he claimed he had seized from
some robbers, mishandled the gun and
fired a bullet which hit Busayo. The
guard was said to be drunk.”
Our correspondent gathered that the
bullet lodged in the neck region of the
victim.
She was said to have been rushed to a
private hospital in the area where she
was confirmed dead.
Policemen from the Owutu Police
Division were said to have arrived at
the scene and arrested the guard, the
assistant manager of the hotel and the
victim’s boyfriend.
When our correspondent visited the
area, there was tension as residents
were afraid to talk about the incident.
Mambillah, which is one of the popular
hotels in the Ikorodu area of Lagos, also
bore a gloomy look.
A resident confided in PUNCH Metro
that since the tragedy, the hotel had
been shut to guests and no music had
been played during the daytime as was
the practice.
A large number of security officials was
also said to have been deployed in the
hotel to prevent attack from aggrieved
youths.
A young boy, who did not identify
himself for security reason, said the
incident left a bloody trail.
He said, “On Sunday morning when I
wanted to do something in the hotel, I
noticed blood on the ground. I cannot
say exactly how the incident happened,
but I learnt a lady was killed the
previous night.”
PUNCH Metro learnt that the guard, who
fired the killer shot, owned a house in
Ikorodu.
Our correspondent spoke with one of
his tenants, who pleaded anonymity for
security reasons.
She described Ibrahim as a caring
landlord who was only a victim of some
“forces.”
She said, “He is such a nice and caring
landlord. I have been living in his
house for a long time and he has never
made any trouble with me.
“I know he is just a victim of some
forces beyond his control. He could not
have deliberately killed the girl and I
hope the police authorities would have
mercy on him.”
When our correspondent met the
manager of the hotel for comment, he
said he had nothing to say.
After verifying the identity of our
correspondent, he said, “I have nothing
to say to The PUNCH newspaper. Where
were you when the incident happened?
Where were you when I was trying to
settle with the girl’s family? Please I
have nothing to say.”
The Deputy Police Public Relations
Officer, Lelma Kolle, an Assistant
Superintendent of Police, however,
confirmed the incident.
He said the case had been transferred
to the State Criminal Investigation
Department, Yaba, for investigation.
Kolle said, “Yes the incident happened.
The girl was in the hotel and the
security man opened fire on her.
Nobody knows his reason for doing that.
The police have arrested the assistant
manager of the hotel, the deceased’s
boyfriend and the security man. The
case has been transferred to the SCID.”