The Force Headquarters in Abuja witnessed a mild drama as the police paraded alleged killers of the late Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, with the suspects denying any involvement in the act. Among the suspects was an alleged drug baron, Alhaji Moshood Enafeni.

Enafeni told the police that when the news of Ige's death came to him, he was terribly shocked and broke down while in prison custody. "Yes, it was true that the late minister personally appeared in the case against me, but I never saw him as a person who was against my freedom. I felt bad when we heard that he was killed despite the fact that he was in court against me. This is a man who actually fought for the masses in the country," he said.

The Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero said various theories were advanced for the killing of the former minister but early this year, a clearer picture emerged.

The IG said: "Political motives, vengeance of drug barons and all sorts of insinuations were canvassed for the murder. The investigation was long, tortuous, and eventually stalled. However, six years later, sometime in January, 2007, an informant walked into a police station and later volunteered fresh line of information.

The informant deposed that between 2001 and 2002, while serving a prison term in Ikoyi prisons, he overheard his fellow cellmate, Alhaji Moshood Olatunji Enafeni, a convicted drug baron, solicit the help of one driver to Mariam Abacha to kill Chief Bola Ige, then Minister of Justice. Chief Ige was personally prosecuting the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency celebrated case of importation of 13 containers of hard drug in 2001 involving Enafeni."

The IG further narrated that when all attempts to induce Ige did not yield result, the suspect decided to go for hired assassins and when he later heard about Ige's death, Enafeni celebrated it with other inmates with the killing of a ram.

"Chief Ige personally vetted the case file and prosecuted the case himself. He refused all inducements and appeals from prominent Southwest traditional rulers," he explained further. Ehindero however did not mention the names of the traditional rulers.

Ehindero said Enafeni financed the assassination and that his bank accounts were under investigation. He also disclosed that the vehicle, which the assassins used was set ablaze and dumped in the bush on Lagos-Ibadan express way.

The IG brought a man in mask who testified that he heard Enafeni discussing the matter in prison and offering the sum of five million naira ransom

According to the witness: "I was staying at 'Aso Rock' inside the prison. I have the privilege to move around and I overheard him asking for assistance to eliminate the late Ige."

The accused persons all denied the accounts given by the IG and the witness.

Enafeni, in his account, said the ram, which he killed while in prison was to mark Eid-el Kabir.

Another suspect, Onafeko, who identified himself as a motor park tout said he was arrested and detained since 1995 before he was released. "I am surprised at this event. I was in prison for six years because members of the Nigeria Police don't know anything about investigation and that was why I was released afterwards," he said .

However, Ehindero maintained that it was Onafeko who contacted two other suspects, Fetuga and Akande, to take part in the assassination. Both of them denied ever knowing Enafeni before they were paraded.

Ehindero however said he would not apologise to the former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, because he was not the one who charged them to court over the matter.

He also denied that the suspects were framed. "How can you say the president imposed the suspects on us? I did the investigation and I passed it to him. Am I looking forward for another promotion or what? I am already on my way out. Is there any other position after IG?

"The president has never imposed anything on us. I want to say before God and man that the president never interfered with our work."