IT LOOKS MORE AND MORE LIKE THE JUSSIE SMOLLETT ASSAULT WAS STAGED

Two Nigerian actor brothers are in custody over Jussie Smollett attack, as it's revealed they are friends with the Empire star, amid claims the assault was staged to save his career

Daily Mail
February 15, 2019

The two brothers being questioned over the Jussie Smollett attack are actors Abimbola 'Abel' and Olabinjo 'Ola' Osundairo, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.

The pair were picked up by police at Chicago O'Hare Airport on Wednesday as they arrived back in America after visiting family in Nigeria to be questioned over the January 29 attack involving the star. Family say they went to Africa on January 29, hours after the Smollett attack.

Ola appeared on Empire in 2015 and both brothers have had minor roles on Chicago PD.

Smollett, who has been accused of staging the attack to save his job on the Fox show, follows their joint Instagram account and, according to their lawyer, sometimes goes to the gym with them. In his reports to the police, Smollett has said that he could not distinguish any features about his attackers' appearance.

The brothers' names are also included on a list of evidence that was left at their home after Chicago PD officers ransacked it on Thursday and the pair are listed in public records as the tenants of that house.

Before returning to the US on Wednesday, they shared photographs and videos on Instagram of their time in Nigeria. Neither has been charged and Chicago Police Department has until 5.45pm on Friday to arrest them or release them.
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Jussie Smollett hires Michael Cohen's criminal defense attorney as the two Nigerian Empire extras held in his attack are released suddenly without charges after police discover 'new information' during interrogation

Daily Mail
February 16, 2019

Attorney Michael Monico, a former federal prosecutor in the Northern District of Illinois, revealed in a radio interview on Thursday in Chicago that he is representing Smollett. Monico, speaking on WGN's The Roe Conn Show , did not reveal how long he has been representing Smollet or in what capacity.

It came as police in Chicago suddenly released two Nigerian extras on Smollett's show, who had previously been described as suspects in the attack, saying that 'new evidence' had emerged in their interrogations that requires further detective work.

Brothers Olabinjo 'Ola' Osundairo, 27, and Abimbola 'Abel' Osundairo, 25, were cut loose from police custody late on Friday.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Fox Entertainment says “The idea that Jussie Smollett has been, or would be, written off of Empire is patently ridiculous. He remains a core player on this very successful series and we continue to stand behind him.” And the Chicago PD denies it is investigating the attack as a hoax.

But if you look at the facts so far – Smollett unable to describe his attackers, no surveillance video showing any sign of an attack, talking on the phone at 2 am with his manager, refusal to turn complete phone records to police and two Nigerian friends of the ‘victim’ throwing racial slurs at Smollett – and you have all the makings of a staged attack.