Man arrested for attempting to murder American friend

A Nigerian man has been arrested for attempting to murder his American visitor because the man refused to give him some money he had promised.

A 28-year-old man, Orabe Philips Leo, has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command Zone 2 for attempting to murder an American, Robert Wheelers, for reneging on his promise to help him earlier.

A statement released by the Zone 2 Police Public Relations Officer [ZPPRO], SP Dolapo Badmus, Leo had once worked with Wheeler at the Tony Elumelu foundation in 2015 and the victim had promised to help him but failed to do so before he went back to his country.

However, Wheelers came into the country on August 25, 2017, on a visit and called Leo to pick him up at the airport and the suspect ended up attacking him on the same day by using a pestle to clobber him with the intention of killing him.

The suspect who was arrested at his hideout in Ikorodu area of the state, had allegedly run to the place after attacking Wheelers after driving him to his house at Adeniyi Street, Ikorodu, reportedly confessed to having clubbed the victim’s head with a pestle three times because he got angry with Wheelers who went back on his promise to give him an unspecified amount of money.

The statement by SP Badmus reads:

“The Zone 2 Command through its zonal intervention squad, have arrested one Orabe Philips Leo, the suspect that attempted to kill his American visitor on 25th August 2017.

The victim Mr. Robert Rob Wheelers, an American arrived Nigeria on 25th August 2017, and was picked up at the airport by the suspect who once worked with him at Tony Elumelu foundation in 2015.

The suspect drove the victim to his house at Adeniyi Street, Ikorodu, where he was to reside till his return back to the US. The victim was attacked by his host at midnight and was left in his pool of blood after which the suspect fled.

The Zonal Command received the distress call and its operatives were dispatched to launch a manhunt for the suspect while the victim was rushed to the hospital.

On the 8th of September, upon intelligence gathering, the suspect was arrested from his hideout within Ikorodu.

The suspect who was interrogated by the Assistant Inspector General in charge of Zone 2, AIG Ibrahim Adamu, confessed to have clubbed the victim’s head with a pestle three times, stating that the victim reneged on his promise to give him an unspecified amount of money, a promise the victim couldn’t keep, which angered the suspect.

The suspect, when questioned on why he would have to kill a man because he refused to fulfill a promise, revealed that he had invested so much in his effort to get money from the white man.

He said he had consulted a white garment church where he was given a charm to use on the man but was deeply angered when the victim didn’t obey his instructions."

SP Badmus added that investigation is on going in the case and the suspect would be charged to court and prosecuted at the end of the investigation.