Adebayo Adeyemi, a student of a private health technology institution in Ogun State, has been arrested by the Ogun State police for fatally stabbing his girlfriend and schoolmate, Mercy. The incident occurred after she seized his phone, suspecting he was involved with another girl.
The conflict started in September 2023 when Mercy discovered Adeyemi’s alleged infidelity and took his phone, refusing to return it. Adeyemi went to Lagos for a practical course and, upon returning to Ijebu Ode in January, confronted Mercy about the phone. He enlisted the help of an accomplice, Michael, who suggested involving a secret code understood by cultists known as ‘Island.’
Their plan involved taking Mercy to a supposed police station, but during the journey, they stopped at a remote spot. Adeyemi, Michael, Mercy, and her friend got out of the vehicle. Adeyemi then led Mercy to a bushy area where he interrogated her about the phone before brutally attacking her, with Michael restraining her.
During an interview, Adeyemi claimed he couldn’t explain the impulse behind his actions, mentioning that he was provoked by the anger he felt when Mercy resisted his attempt to cuddle her neck.
“I’m from Atiba, Oyo State, but based in Ijebu Ode. I’m 30 years old. I’m a student of Dental Therapy Department of a College of Health Technology, Ijebu Ode. Last year, my girlfriend, Mercy, a fellow student, took my phone on September 2, 2023, and didn’t return it. When I saw her one-on-one, I asked her to give me my phone, but she refused to do so. I went for practical in Lagos State on September 4, and on my return this year, I went to her again but she was just dodging me until I asked people to help get in touch with her.
I went to where she was residing and asked her again to give me my phone. She didn’t respond. I told a man living in the same house with her that I would take her to a police station where she would give me the phone. She agreed with me on that.
I asked the man, who was attending the same church with my friend, Michael, to give me his car key for me to drive to the station but he said he would not give me the key but would drive us there. I knew him through that friend who is also a student in my school.
On our way, I decided not to go to the police station and asked him to drop us by a bush. It was that my friend whom I had initially told of taking my ex-girlfriend to police station who said I should take her to the bush and torture her into submission.
We were six in the car, including me, Mercy, Mercy’s friend, Michael, the driver and one other student who was going to school. The driver dropped us by a bush side and left with the student. On getting into the bush, I asked Mercy to sit on the ground. Michael and her friend were with us.
I started questioning Mercy on what I did to her that warranted her taking my phone. At last, she told me that I offended her by cheating on her and ditching her for another girl, which made her seize my phone. I asked for the phone and she said that she had given it to someone, promising to buy me another one.
After that, I held her on the neck and started cuddling her and told her that what she just told me was what I had been waiting to hear from her. I was telling her that she f****d up and other things. That was how she picked something from the ground and hit me on the head with it.
I became so mad at her that I didn’t know when I was possessed by a spirit. I hit her head with a big stick and she fell and died. She told me she was 20 years old when we were dating.”
When asked whether he was into drugs, Adeyemi denied using drugs, saying that he only used to take alcohol poured on herbs for medicinal purposes. He also said that he had never joined a cult.
His accomplice, Michael, who confessed to the crime, said;
“I am an Egun from Benin Republic but my parents relocated to Ipokia in Ogun State. I will be 29 in February. I’m also a student in the same school with Adeyemi. In the morning of the fateful day, Adeyemi came to Mercy’s compound to ask about his phone. I was there with the driver. Later, he said he wanted to take Mercy to the police station but I didn’t want to go there with him because I didn’t want any trouble. So, I asked him to go somewhere within the community to ask her questions.
He asked for my friend’s car key but that one refused to give him, offering to take him to the police station. On the way, Adeyemi asked him to stop by the bush side and I came down with him, Mercy and her friend, while the driver left with the student in the car. Adeyemi and Mercy entered the bush and I stayed by the side with her friend.
Later, I saw Adeyemi come out with a wound on his head. I asked him what happened and he replied that Mercy injured him and he also hit her. I asked about her and he said that she was inside the bush, in the throes of death. Mercy’s friend and I immediately moved away from the spot and headed home, leaving the body in the bush. I was frightened by Adeyemi’s looks. We got to the compound where Mercy and the driver lived and stood there. The friend was scared and said that she would go to my room to rest.
When we got to my place, I told her that I wanted to sleep with her, but she refused. She pleaded with me, saying that she would give me money if that was what I wanted. She promised to transfer the money immediately. I demanded for N200,000 and she said she didn’t have such money. That was when I slept with her. When I was done, I brought out a dish with black soap in it and warned her not to tell anyone about what happened between us, or else the consequences would be dire.
Later, Mercy’s friend went to a brother with whom I was attending the same church and reported what happened. That was how the police were informed and Adeyemi was apprehended while he was with his current girlfriend. Adeyemi just told me that he wanted to torture Mercy. He didn’t tell me he would kill her. I didn’t know what took over me that made me rape Mercy’s friend.”
