Attack on Onamade: How I was stabbed by thugs at Western Funeral Home, witness tells court
Ayodele Olalere
A Witness in the ongoing murder trial of five political thugs has narrated before Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court how he was attacked and allegedly stabbed by the thugs at Western Funeral Home in Ijede local government area.
The suspects namely Atunrase Sodiq Omolabi ‘M’ 28 years, Shittu Michael Olawale ‘M’ 28 years, Olaide Opeifa ‘M’ 40′ years, Olanrewaju Adebiyi aka Maja ‘M’ 35 years and Jamiu Omosanya aka Orobo, as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants respectively, are being prosecuted by the Lagos State government for attempted murder and murder of Ifeanyi Godfrey Etunmuse, a card carrying member of All Progressives Congress, APC, at Western Funeral Home, Ijede, Ikorodu, a company which belong to an APC chieftain, Tosin Onamade.
In April 2023, the court was shown the video of how the suspects invaded Onamade’s office with dangerous weapons, attacked his staff and murdered the victim. They were caught on CCTV cameras.
The incident occurred on April 16, 2021 during the build-up to the local government election in Lagos in which Onamade contested for the post of the chairman of Ijede Local Council Development Area.
At the continuation of trial of the suspects on Wednesday, the witness, Femi Onamade, an Information Technology student who is also the younger brother of Tosin Onamade, under examination by the prosecution counsel, M.A. Adewoye, narrated his ordeal on the day of the incident.
” On April 16, 2021, I was working under Western Funeral Home as operational manager. On this particular day, we had two funeral events. I was eating in my office when I looked through the CCTV and saw a car without a number plate parked outside the premises. I came out to check the car but as soon as I opened the gate, bottles and stones were thrown at me by five guys who came out of the car,” he told the court.
The witness further said that he called Godfrey Etunmuse (now late) to join him in warding off the attackers.
Asked if he could recognise any of the suspects among those that attacked him, the witness pointed at Atunrase Sodiq Omolabi, Shittu Michael Olawale and Olaide Opeifa as three of the five thugs that attacked him.
He continued: ” After the attackers left, I called on Mr Tosin Onamade who is the director. He came out of his office and made a call to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of Ijede police station. Few minutes later, the five guys came back with reinforcements. They were close to 20. They came with dangerous weapons. I ran back into the premises but as I attempted to lock the gate, they stabbed my hand and forced the gate open. I tried to defend myself but the 3rd defendant (Olaide Opeifa) and others pounced on me . They held my legs and i fell down and they stabbed me on my head. ”
Femi Onamade said he became unconscious and was rushed to the hospital. He said it was at the hospital he was informed by the doctors that Godfrey had been killed in the attack.
Upon his discharge from the hospital, the witness said he watched the CCTV footage of the incident and saw the other two suspects; Olanrewaju Adebiyi aka Maja and Jamiu Omosanya aka Orobo as among those that came in the second attack.
Under cross examination by Olanrewaju Ajanaku, counsel to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th defendants, he told the court he saw all the attackers machetting the deceased.
While being cross examined by counsel to the 4th defendant, Mahmood Adesina (SAN), the witness said while he came out to check the car, he said the driver that drove the car ‘looked like the former chairman of Ijede Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Fatiu Salisu.’
He also denied the insinuation that the CCTV footage was doctored.
The matter was adjourned till May 22 for the continuation of trial. The court also issued a Witness Summon on the Investigating Police Officer that investigated the incident from the FCID.
