An Abuja-based Taxi driver, Sikiru Lamidi, who was arrested for allegedly an Ex-ambassador, Ngam Nwachukwu, on November 24, 2016, has confessed to committing the said crime.
The suspect from Oyo State, was arrested by detectives at his home town where he was hiding after selling Nwachukwu’s Lexus SUV with Abuja registration number, YAB 938 MC to one Femi Adeyemi with forged documents.
The 75-year-old ex-Ambassador had reportedly boarded the Lamidi’s cab on November 23, 2016 and in the course of taking him around confided in him about his car which had a mechanical fault.
The cab driver then offered to help by taking the deceased’s car to his brother, a mechanic, who could work on the car and an agreement was made between both parties that Lamidi would come to the ex-ambassador’s house the following day.
The driver reportedly showed up at the ex-envoy’s residence at Villa Nova Estate, Apo the following day as agreed.
According to Northern City News reports, the deceased lived alone and his security guard, who doubled as an electrician, was also not in the house during Lamidi’s visit.
Investigators stated that Nwachukwu offered the driver 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 theatre in the apartment and went away with the deceased’s Lexus SUV which he sold for N1.480m to one Femi Adeyemi with forged documents,” an investigator said.
According to Lamidi, he didn’t know what came over him, adding that he just found himself stabbing the septuagenarian until he died.
“After stabbing the man, I felt terrible and guilty but there was nothing I could do to reverse the situation,” he said.
After killing Nwachukwu, the suspect explained that he sold the TV and home theatre audio system to a seller of fairly-used products at Area 10, Abuja for N38,000.
He said that he kept the SUV in Sauka Village along Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road for two weeks before driving it to Oyo town.
The taxi driver said 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 N1.1m, 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,” Lamidi explained.
He also added that he blamed the devil for his actions, explaining that this was his first time committing a crime.
“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,” he added.