CKN EXCLUSIVE:JOURNEY OF FOUR DAYS TO GET LEKAN SHONDE (SUSPECTED WIFE KILLER)

Lekan Shonde After His Arrest Today

THE INITIAL CONTACT

Four days ago,I received a call from someone who claimed to know me very well and who have been following my story on the killing of a mother of two in Egbeda ,a surburb of Lagos..He went on to introduce himself .I was still trying to make sense out of the name until he mentioned a common friend that is close to me..The name immediately arrested my attention and I started paying attention to what he has to say.

His next statement jolted me..”CKN,I have something to tell you and I seek your assistance and cooperation and advise on what do I have chosen you because ,I see you as one of the most respected Journalist in Nigeria and I know you ll treat whatever information I give you with all sense of professionalism..I just read your story on the killing of Mrs Ronke Shonde, allegedly by her husband..I know the husband very well and I have been in touch with him on phone. He is in a hideout, can I get your cooperation and assistance in convincing him to come out of hiding so that we can hand him over to the police. The world really needs to hear his own side of the story he said”

The journalist instinct in me took the better of me..I told him, I ll like to be of help whenever my assistance is needed once he agrees to turn himself in.I also assured him that nothing will be written about the story until Lekan is finally with the law enforcement agents.

The next question was how are we going to get that done..I asked my contact to keep on talking to him and assure him that all will be well but he has to do the needful by agreeing to surrender.

Some hours later, my contact (name withheld) informed again that he has just spoken to Lekan Shonde and he has vowed to commit suicide. He has fled to somewhere in the South West.

That in itself posed another challenge,how do we talk him out of such act. Well,later we spoke again and he told him,he has convinced him not to do that.

According to him, Lekan has always been a nice guy.He is the friend and classmate of his immediate younger brother .

The trio attended Ikeja High School in Lagos. Lekan according to him is not violent..He is a jolly good fellow but the question that continued to agitate my mind was, how can someone with such attributes take another life?.

THE LONG WAIT

Last night I had a call from him and he informed me that Lekan has finally agreed to turn himself in but want to know how we can involve the police .. I told him our best bet is the Rapid Response Squad headed by ACP Tunji Disu.My interaction with Disu over the years has shown him to be a very professional officer who can handle such incident with utmost professionalism and efficiency.

We agreed to tidy up the loose ends this morning. Just as discussed I got a call from him again this morning that all is now ready and that Lekan will meet with him and another friend at a hotel in GRA Ikeja.

That the other friend of Lekan who is part of the arrangement had already contacted ACP Tunji Disu who is expected to send in his officers to pick him up.

I called ACP Disu who confirmed the arrangement assuring that his men will be on ground to do their job.

All was now set for the final part..True to his words, Lekan showed up but a little mistake got him edgy and he fled.We were all scared that he ll escape again.

His two common friends who were to meet with were confused and now we have to start another round of negotiation with him..

I was in another part of Ikeja monitoring the situation since I was not a familiar face, my presence could lead to his final disappearance.

Finally,  the movement moved to another part of Ikeja where he finally handed over himself to the officers of RRS and was driven with his friends to the office of the RRS at the State Secretariat, Alausa Ikeja where he was interrogated and fed because he was looking so hungry and unkept..

Apparently,he have not had his bath for days and must have been wearing the same clothe for days. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep .He kept on shaking his head and intermittently cried .

Merely looking at Lekan,he was obviously a man who has lost his freedom .

Lekan is in his late 40s,about 6.1ft,dark in complexion ,speaks fluent English and sound well lettered and exposed.

WATCH OUT FOR PART 2..MY FACE TO FACE MEETING WITH LEKAN, HIS OWN SIDE OF THE STORY AND THE MAN THAT WRECKED THEIR MARRIAGE…

Chris Kehinde Nwandu (CKN) is a Journalist,Blogger and Ag National President ,Bloggers Association of Nigeria