For eight months, the killing of a retired teacher in Abeokuta, Ogun State, remained a disturbing mystery. The 61-year-old woman had been found dead inside the toilet of her own home, just a day after celebrating her retirement with former colleagues.
Now, investigators say they have arrested a man who has confessed to the killing, providing details of what happened on the evening of the murder and how a missing phone eventually helped detectives trace him.
The victim, Mrs Adedotun Adeteju Oluwaseun, was popularly known as Mama Teacher. She was murdered at her residence in Agbaakin Emere, Bode-Olude, Abeokuta, on Friday, February 27, 2026.
Her body was discovered the following day, February 28, inside the toilet of her home.
What makes the case particularly disturbing is the reason the suspect gave for the attack. According to his confession, the confrontation began over millions of naira he claimed to have entrusted to the retired teacher, alongside a promise that she would lend him additional money to purchase a car.
But a disagreement over the money would end in a fatal machete attack.
The Evening Everything Went Wrong
The principal suspect, identified as Saburi Lateef Ayinde, popularly known as Oki-Ocean, was arrested on October 19, 2026, following an investigation by the Ogun State Police Command.
In a confessional video obtained by DAILY POST, Ayinde described how he went to Mama Teacher's residence on the evening of February 27 to demand an explanation about his money.
He said he had given her ₦3.45 million for safekeeping. According to him, the retired teacher had also promised to lend him another ₦1.55 million, which would bring the total to ₦5 million and enable him to purchase a vehicle.
Ayinde claimed he had repeatedly asked her about the money but was dissatisfied with the responses he received.
On the day of the incident, he arrived at her home at approximately 6 p.m., hoping to resolve the matter.
According to his account, their discussion quickly deteriorated when he demanded that she return his money if she was no longer willing to provide the additional loan.
He said Mama Teacher became angry and ordered him to leave her apartment, warning that she would shout at him.
Ayinde claimed he reminded her of their previous agreement, but the disagreement continued.
What happened next would turn an argument over money into a murder investigation.
How the Argument Turned Violent
According to the suspect's confession, Mama Teacher walked towards the toilet during the confrontation. He followed her there, where he said he noticed a cutlass lying on the ground.
He picked up the weapon and continued demanding his money.
Ayinde admitted that as the woman was attempting to come out, he pulled her back and attacked her with the cutlass.
Describing the assault, he said he struck her on the neck, hand and thighs before she collapsed.
He further stated that he lifted her and placed her on the toilet seat.
The account offers a chilling explanation of the violence that preceded the discovery of the retired teacher's body the following day.
However, the full circumstances of the killing, including the forensic evidence and other findings gathered by investigators, will ultimately have to be established through the police investigation and court proceedings.
What the Suspect Did After the Attack
Ayinde also spoke about his actions immediately after the assault.
He claimed a neighbour was outside and that he was concerned about being seen. According to his account, he remained at the residence for a while before moving to the parlour to sit down.
He said the victim was still attempting to speak after the attack.
The suspect told investigators that he later regretted what he had done and continued to feel troubled by the killing. He maintained that he did not disclose the incident to anyone.
But there was another detail in his confession that would become significant to the investigation.
Ayinde admitted taking Mama Teacher's mobile phone after noticing that it did not have a password.
That decision would eventually help detectives connect him to the crime.
The Phone That Led Police to the Suspect
For months, the investigation continued after the discovery of the retired teacher's body.
The case was initially handled at the Bode-Olude Division before being transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, at Eleweran, Abeokuta.
According to the Ogun State Police Command, detectives continued working to establish the facts surrounding the killing and identify the person responsible.
The breakthrough came through the investigation of the victim's stolen phone.
Police spokesperson DSP Oluseyi B. Babaseyi explained that detectives tracked the device and used the information obtained to connect the investigation to Ayinde.
That trail ultimately led to his arrest on October 19, approximately eight months after the murder.
The police have not publicly detailed every stage of the phone-tracking operation, but the device was identified as a key lead in locating the suspect.
Police Prepare for Court Proceedings
Following the arrest, the Ogun State Police Command said the suspect would be charged to court after investigators had completed the necessary work and clarified the facts of the case.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, commended the officers involved in the investigation for their persistence and professionalism.
The command also urged residents to remain vigilant about their personal security and exercise caution when deciding whom to trust with sensitive matters.
Police further warned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands, stressing that disputes should be resolved through lawful means rather than violence.
A Dispute Over Money With a Fatal Outcome
The death of Mama Teacher highlights how a financial disagreement can escalate into irreversible violence.
According to Ayinde's account, the dispute centred on ₦3.45 million he said he had entrusted to the retired teacher and a further ₦1.55 million she had promised to lend him.
But no financial disagreement can justify taking another person's life.
With the suspect now in police custody, the next stage of the case will involve the completion of investigations and court proceedings, where the evidence will be examined and the allegations tested.
For Mama Teacher's family and those who knew her, the arrest may provide a significant development after months of uncertainty. Yet the questions surrounding her final moments, the evidence gathered by detectives and the precise circumstances of the killing must still be addressed through the judicial process.
The investigation has produced an arrest and a confession. The final determination of criminal responsibility, however, rests with the court.