- Title: Founder of Nigeria's Gokada found dismembered in New York apartment - media
- Date: 15th July 2020
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 15, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF APARTMENT WHERE TECH CEO FAHIM SALEH'S BODY WAS FOUND LAGOS, NIGERIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MOTORCYCLE TAXIS AT A JUNCTION GOKADA RIDERS VARIOUS OF A GOKADA RIDER PUTTING A HAIR NET AND HELMET ON A FEMALE CLIENTS HEAD FEMALE CLIENT CLIMBING ON TO THE BIKE VARIOUS OF MALE CLIENT REQUESTING FOR A RIDE ON AN APP
- Embargoed: 29th July 2020 16:19
- Keywords: Fahim Saleh New York Police Department dismembered ride-hailing app
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES / LAGOS, NIGERIA
- City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES / LAGOS, NIGERIA
- Country: USA
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Crime
- Reuters ID: LVA002CMX8Y87
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A technology entrepreneur who founded Nigeria's Gokada ride-hailing app was found decapitated and
dismembered in a luxury New York apartment with a power saw still plugged in nearby, New York media reported on Wednesday (July 15).
Police on Wednesday (July 15) confirmed the death of Saleh in a statement and deemed it a homicide but offered none of the grisly details reported in several New York media.
Detectives found Fahim Saleh's torso near a power saw and later discovered his head and limbs sorted into plastic bags, law enforcement officials told New York crime reporters.
Saleh's sister discovered the body on Tuesday (July 14) afternoon, and the fact the saw was still connected led detectives to suspect her arrival may have startled the perpetrator, the New York Times reported.
"We have a torso, a head that's been removed, arms, and legs. Everything is still on the scene. We don't have a motive," NYPD spokesman Sergeant Carlos Nieves told the Daily News.
Saleh, 33, founded the Gokada motorbike hailing app. It was popular in the Nigerian megacity of Lagos until state
officials in February banned all motorcycle taxis, known locally as 'okada' and able to weave through traffic.
Gokada, funded by U.S and Gulf investment and venture capital funds, has one of the largest fleets of motorcycle
hailing taxis in Nigeria. But the company, along with its competitors, fell foul of regulators in Lagos state.
Security camera video showed Saleh in the apartment building's elevator with a man in a dark suit, mask and gloves, the media reports said.
Video showed the masked man following Saleh into the apartment, where a struggle began.
A police spokesman declined to offer details beyond a short statement saying police found him unconscious and unresponsive and that emergency medical technicians pronounced him dead.
A Gokada spokesman did not respond to Reuters requests seeking comment.
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