Two arrested for killing UTME candidate in Lagos

In a grim development that has sent shockwaves through Lagos, the State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, announced the arrest of two suspects linked to the brutal murder of a 17-year-old Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidate, Thompson Adams. The suspects, identified as Elijah Emmanuel, 23, and Tony Ogenata, 21, were apprehended following credible intelligence, bringing a measure of closure to a case that has deeply disturbed the community.

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On April 27, 2026, at about 20.00 hours, operatives of the command, acting on credible intelligence, traced and arrested suspected kidnappers at Lucky Fibre, Ikorodu, Lagos. The suspects are Elijah Emmanuel, 23, and Tony Ekwen Ogenata, 21. Criminal investigation revealed that the suspects are linked to the kidnapping and gruesome murder of one Thompson Adams, aged 17, which occurred on April 22, 2026. The two boys went out with their friend, Adams, who was their secondary schoolmate. Along the line, they murdered him.

According to police investigations, Adams was returning from his examination hall on April 22, 2026, when he was lured by the suspects, who were his former secondary schoolmates, to their apartment. The circumstances surrounding his death are harrowing, with reports indicating he was killed in the process. The suspects subsequently disposed of his body in a manner that underscores the callousness of their alleged crimes. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that can lurk even within familiar social circles.

Adding a disturbing layer to the case, further interrogation has exposed the suspects' alleged involvement in another heinous crime: the murder of a female victim in November 2025. This victim, identified as the girlfriend of one of the suspects, was allegedly killed despite her family paying a ransom of N300,000. This revelation points towards a pattern of calculated violence and exploitation, where the suspects allegedly preyed on their victims and their families for financial gain, only to commit murder regardless.

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Investigation revealed that they had earlier kidnapped and murdered a female victim on November 30, 2025. The victim was a girlfriend of one of them. They contacted her parents and demanded ransom.

The Lagos State Police Command has assured the public that the suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations. This case, alongside other recent incidents, underscores the persistent challenges law enforcement faces in combating violent crime within the state. The swiftness of the arrests in this particular case, however, offers some reassurance that justice will be pursued vigorously for the victims and their families.

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After collecting the N300,000, they still went ahead and murdered the lady.