Taxi driver arrested for killing Ambassador, stealing SUV

Punch reports that the incident happened on November 24, 2016, after the Ambassador who was 75-years-old at the time of his death, had chattered Lamidi to take him around town and informed him that his vehicle had broken down.

Lamidi, an indigene of Oyo town in Oyo State, was arrested in his home town where he was hiding after selling Nwachukwu’s vehicle with Abuja registration number, YAB 938 MC.

The police were also able to recover the vehicle which had been sold to one Femi Adeyemi with forged documents.

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A police source who confirmed the arrest of the murderer said Nwachukwu had chattered Lamidi on November 23, 2016, and in the course of taking him around, had informed the suspect about his car which had a mechanical fault.

Lamidi was said to have offered to take the ex-envoy to his brother whom he claimed was a mechanic, who could work on the car and it was decided that Lamidi would come to the house of the former Ambassador the following day.

The suspect reportedly showed up at the ex-envoy's residence at Villa Nova Estate, Apo, the following day as agreed.

Unfortunately for the deceased, who lived alone, his security guard was not in the house at the time of Lamidi's visit.

It was gathered that Nwachukwu had offered Lamidi some food but he declined while sitting across from him at the dining table.

“As the man was eating, the suspect pounced on him and wrestled him to the floor and then stabbed him in the neck with a pair of scissors.

He stole the plasma television and home theater in the apartment and went away with the deceased’s Lexus SUV which he sold for N1.480 million to one Femi Adeyemi with forged documents,” the police source said.

While confessing to the crime at the premises of the Apo Divisional Police Station, Lamidi said that he did not know what came over him when he murdered the ex-Ambassador, saying that he just found himself stabbing the septuagenarian until he died.

“I don't know what came over me. I think it was the devil who made me do it. I just found myself stabbing them. After stabbing him, I felt terrible and guilty but there was nothing I could do to reverse the situation.

I sold the plasma TV and home theater audio system to a seller of fairly-used products at Area 10, Abuja for N38,000,” he said.

He added that he kept the SUV in Sauka Village along Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road for two weeks before driving it to his hometown.

The suspect said when he got to his town, he gave the vehicle to one Okuta who assisted him in forging the vehicle documents, adding that he compensated Okuta with N380,000 after selling the vehicle.

“Out of the remaining N1.1 million, I bought a motorcycle for N180,000 and invested N500,000 in a cooperative society. I gave a car dealer N500,000 to assist me in getting a car, but he defrauded me and didn’t provide any vehicle.

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I have not committed any crime before; I blame the devil for this. Sometimes, I entertain negative or diabolical thoughts, but I don’t smoke or drink,” Lamidi explained.

The police say investigation into the matter has commenced in earnest and the suspect would be charged to court very soon.