Nigerian gets life jail for murder in UK

A court in the United Kingdom has sentenced a Nigerian fugitive, Abdul Kekere-Ekun, to life imprisonment for the murder of 28-year old Marcus Hall in 2001.

The Head of Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement on Monday that the convict killed one 18-year old Marcus Hall during a fight outside Luton’s Atmosphere Night club.

Uwujaren said that the 39-year old Kekere-Ekun who initially pleaded guilty to the charge of murder before the Luton Crown Court later attempted to escape justice by fleeing to Nigeria.

He said that the convict was arrested by the EFCC for fraud and was later extradited to the UK when it was discovered that he was wanted for murder in the UK.

The EFCC spokesperson said that Kekere-Ekun was extradited when the commission was served with an extradition notice by the former Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN).

He said that the jailed Nigerian operated with several aliases such as Adebayo Dalvin James Ekun, Adeba Yo Kekere-Ekun, Adeba Yo Muta Lito Kekere-Ekun, James Dalvin, James Adebayo before his arrest.

He said, “During investigation, it was revealed that Kekere-Ekun, who was arrested for fraud, was on the wanted list of the United Kingdom Police.

“Consequently, an extradition notice signed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, was served on him by the EFCC.

He was finally extradited back to the United Kingdom, where he reportedly admitted to the killing.

Uwujaren said that prior to the conviction of Kekere-Ekun, seven of the members of the gang were convicted for the murder in 2002.

He said that two of the convictions were later reversed.

Uwujaren quoted the Bedfordshire police as having said that the convict was identified in a CCTV footage of the attack. He was said to be wearing a checked jacket described as distinctive.

He said that police who found a flyer of a shop during a raid on his residence went to the designer shop only to discover that he was among those who bought the nine jackets sold by the shop.

He quoted the mother of the victim, Icelyn Wilson, as having said after the verdict on Monday that the pain of her son’s death was still fresh as if it happened a day ago.

‘‘My son’s death still hurts as if it had happened yesterday and I will never get over it,” she was quoted as having said.