A suspected armed robber has admitted stabbing a couple during a midnight robbery in Ibadan, Oyo State, in an attack that killed the wife, left her husband critically injured and involved an alleged attempt to sexually assault their daughter.

The suspect, identified as Matthew, reportedly confessed to stabbing Mrs Rukayat and her husband, Alhaji Olatokunbo, during the robbery at their residence in Wofun, Olodo area of Ibadan, on August 4.

According to a report by Saturday Tribune, Matthew allegedly led two accomplices, Ibrahim and another suspect identified as Oyo, who is still at large, in the attack.

The robbery came to light amid public outrage over a separate reported incident involving the killing of a family of six following a dispute over a phone.

During the investigation, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) of the Oyo State Police Command arrested three suspected members of the gang at a hideout in Sabo, Ibadan, on October 2.

The suspects were identified as Matthew, Tobi and Ibrahim, although the report withheld Matthew’s surname. Police investigations reportedly linked them to robbery operations in Wofun and Moniya.

According to the report, the gang allegedly approached the couple’s residence under cover of darkness and hid in nearby bushes before entering the house at about 2:30 a.m., when the occupants were asleep.

Matthew told investigators that he headed towards the couple’s bedroom after the gang gained entry. He said the occupants woke up and struggled with the intruders.

Recounting the confrontation, he admitted stabbing the husband and subsequently attacking his wife.

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“That was when I stabbed the man; I won’t lie, I stabbed the man,” he reportedly said.

When asked whether he also stabbed the woman, Matthew answered in the affirmative, adding that he stabbed both victims in the neck.

He claimed that the couple fell to the floor following the attack but that the husband later got up and shouted for help, prompting the robbers to flee.

Rukayat reportedly died from the attack, while her husband sustained severe injuries that left his intestines exposed. He survived after undergoing surgery at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, where he reportedly spent several weeks receiving treatment.

The attackers allegedly escaped with mobile phones, wristwatches, $400 and other valuables estimated to be worth more than ₦3 million.

The Oyo State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, reportedly disclosed the arrests in a statement, saying an iPhone 7 Plus believed to have been stolen during the robbery was recovered from the suspects.

Suspect Admits Approaching Couple’s Daughter

The investigation also uncovered allegations that one of the suspects attempted to sexually assault a daughter of the couple during the incident.

Matthew reportedly admitted seeing the young woman bathing before the gang entered the house and acknowledged approaching her in her room.

Asked whether he attempted to sexually assault her, he admitted making a move towards her but denied touching her.

“I made a move, truly, but I didn’t touch her,” he reportedly said.

Matthew also acknowledged that the woman told him she was menstruating. Asked whether that was why he left her alone, he answered in the affirmative.

The allegation forms part of the reported account of the attack, although the suspect’s denial of physical contact remains part of his statement.

Second Suspect Links Moniya Robbery to Alleged Stolen-Phone Dealer

The investigation also linked some of the suspects to a separate robbery in the Moniya area of Ibadan.

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Tobi, who reportedly admitted participating in that operation, alleged that a man identified as Sefianu supplied information about the targeted property and helped the gang locate the house.

He accused Sefianu of dealing in stolen mobile phones and laptops and alleged that the gang returned to sell stolen phones to him after the operation.

“Sefianu was the one who told us of the location, because I didn’t know the place before. He even asked a commercial motorcyclist to take us there,” Tobi reportedly said.

He further alleged that Sefianu operated around Sabo and Mokola in Ibadan.

The claims against Sefianu remain allegations attributed to Tobi and would require independent verification by investigators.

Ibrahim, the third suspect, reportedly admitted participating in the Moniya robbery but denied involvement in the fatal attack on the couple.

“Truthfully, speaking of the place Matthew said he went and killed someone, I wasn’t there at all,” he reportedly said.

He identified the Moniya operation as the robbery in which he participated and linked it to the alleged assistance provided by Sefianu.

Suspects’ Previous Encounters With the Law

The Saturday Tribune report also detailed the suspects’ previous encounters with the criminal justice system.

Matthew was reportedly arrested in 2020 over an alleged armed robbery and remanded while his case was before a court. He claimed that he was released in October 2025 during an exercise to decongest correctional facilities in Oyo State.

Tobi, meanwhile, was reportedly convicted of phone theft and sentenced to one year in prison. He said he was released in June 2026.

According to Tobi, he met Matthew at a birthday party held at a hotel in Ibadan in July, where he noticed that the celebrant and some other guests were former inmates. He claimed that his encounter with Matthew at the gathering eventually led to his involvement in robbery.

The report did not establish that the suspects’ previous detention or conviction alone caused their alleged involvement in the subsequent incidents.

Police Intensify Investigation

The suspects’ arrests followed an investigation by the VCRU, acting on the directives of Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Ayodeji Abimbola.

Police investigations reportedly linked the suspects to multiple robbery operations, while the recovery of a phone believed to have been stolen during the Wofun attack formed part of the evidence gathered.

Investigators are expected to pursue other suspects allegedly involved in the operations and examine claims concerning the alleged supply of intelligence and disposal of stolen property.

The case has renewed concerns about violent robbery and the safety of residents in Ibadan, particularly during night-time attacks on homes.

The suspects’ statements and the allegations against them remain subject to further investigation and judicial proceedings. Any determination of criminal responsibility must be made through the appropriate legal process.