In one of the most shocking criminal cases in recent times, a seemingly routine trip for industrial training (IT) turned into a horrific tragedy for 22-year-old Christianah Idowu, a 300-level student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB). The story, which has now gripped the Nigerian public, reveals how Ayomide Adeleye, a 23-year-old student from Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), murdered his friend and fellow church member, Christianah, and then went on to extort her grieving family in an elaborate ransom plot.
This article outlines the timeline of events, shedding light on the tragic murder and the cold-hearted scheme that followed.
1. The Friendship Between Christianah and Ayomide
Christianah Idowu and Ayomide Adeleye were no strangers to each other. Both students, they lived in the same Ita Oluwo community in Lagos State and attended the same church. This connection created a level of trust between them, making Christianah’s eventual murder even more devastating.
Christianah, who was undergoing her industrial training (IT) at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), routinely traveled from her residence in Ita Oluwo to the university every weekend. On Sunday, August 19, 2023, she left her home with the same intention, unaware that it would be her last day alive.
2. The Day Christianah Went Missing
As Christianah set out on her usual trip from Ita Oluwo to UNILAG, it began to rain heavily. Seeking shelter, she stopped at a shop owned by Ayomide Adeleye’s family, which was located just outside his home. What happened next would turn her fate upside down.
According to sources from the Foundation for Investigative Journalists (FIJ), Christianah sought temporary shelter from the rain, but Ayomide invited her into his house when the rain intensified. What appeared to be an act of hospitality quickly escalated into something far darker.
3. The Crime: Ayomide’s Murder of Christianah
Inside his house, Ayomide attempted to assault Christianah sexually. When she resisted his advances, Ayomide murdered her in a fit of rage. This violent act occurred just moments after she entered his home.
Having committed the murder, Ayomide buried Christianah’s body in a shallow grave in the backyard of his compound, attempting to hide his heinous crime.
4. The Ransom Plot: Extorting a Grieving Mother
What followed next revealed a chilling level of premeditation and cruelty. After killing Christianah, Ayomide decided to exploit the situation for financial gain. At 8:50 PM on the same day, Ayomide used Christianah’s phone to send a WhatsApp message to her mother, informing her that her daughter had been kidnapped.
The message read:
“Hello Madam, you have such a beautiful daughter. How much are you willing to pay to see her again? We have her in our custody.”
In a disturbing twist, Ayomide, using Christianah’s already lifeless body, staged a ransom demand. He propped her up, took a photograph of her face, and sent it to her mother via WhatsApp’s “view once” feature to hide the fact that she was already dead.
He demanded a ransom of N3 million from the grieving mother, warning that if the payment wasn’t made within 24 hours, Christianah would be killed. Using fear tactics, he added:
“We don kidnap your pikin, madam. No be only your pikin de here.”
Over the following week, Ayomide continued communicating with Christianah’s mother, pretending to be a northern Nigerian man who had kidnapped her daughter. He negotiated down the ransom, eventually agreeing to accept N400,000. He even falsely claimed to be involved in organ harvesting, threatening to sell Christianah’s body parts if the family did not pay up.
5. Terrorizing the Family
As negotiations continued, Ayomide showed no sign of remorse. When Christianah’s mother, a widow, informed him that she could only raise N350,000 through church donations, Ayomide coldly suggested that she reach out to Christianah’s school friends for financial assistance. All the while, he was also in contact with these same friends, feigning concern for Christianah’s whereabouts.
To receive the ransom, Ayomide created a false email address with a northern Nigerian name to maintain his cover. He provided a Wema Bank account (SportyBet account number: 9336380839) and pressured the family to make the payment as soon as possible. After Christianah’s mother paid N350,000 into the account on August 21, the Nigerian military froze it. However, Ayomide persisted, demanding more money be sent via Christianah’s own bank account.
6. Ayomide’s Arrest
Ayomide’s deceitful game continued until September 1, when the Nigerian Army’s 174 Battalion tracked Christianah’s phone to Ayomide’s residence in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State. He was arrested with seven mobile phones in his possession, and during interrogation, he confessed to killing Christianah on the same day he demanded the ransom.
7. The Aftermath: Investigation and Justice
Once in custody, Ayomide attempted to take his own life but was restrained by law enforcement officers. The case has since been transferred to the Lagos State Police Command for further investigation. As the investigation unfolds, Ayomide faces serious charges for his actions, and Christianah’s family continues to mourn their devastating loss.
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Source : Legit