Ekiti State Police Command has arrested not fewer than 30 suspects in connection with different crimes allegedly perpetrated within and outside Ekiti State.
In a statement made available to journalists on 25th, August, 2022 by DSP Abutu Sunday, the police public Relations Officer noted that the suspects offences were : Robbery, burglary, stealing, bunkering, conspiracy, kidnapping, cultism, illegal possession of fire arms, raping, taking money via false pretence among other crimes.
While given detail about the nefarious activities of the suspects, DSP Abutu said, “4 persons, Isa Muhammad, Yakubu Ibrahim, Abdulweaheed Ismaila a.k.a Bigger of Niger Republic and Akinmonrin Ibukun of Ogbomoso, were arrested in connection with the robbery that happened in Fayose market. He opined that “on 05/08/2022 at about 01:00hrs, a gang of hoodlums stormed Fayose Market, broke into Six different shops and carted away numerous items such as handsets, laptop computers and phone accessories”.
The police spokesman stressed that the suspects confessed to have committed the crime, saying, the suspects confessed to have earlier burgled a phone shop in Oye-Ekiti where they stole many i-phones and a store in Ikole-Ekiti where they carted away many handsets.
He added , that the suspects revealed that they met at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, Lagos as convicts where they discussed and formed the gang. They were all released from the prison in March, 2022 and immediately started the robbery operations.
It was gathered that 15 different stolen handsets and some offensive weapons were recovered from the suspects
According to Abutu, The Rapid Response Squad operatives of the command have arrested one AJEWOLE PETER a.k.a PETER IFAKi, a notorious armed robber terrorising Ekiti State. Other members of the gang had been arrested and are serving jail terms in Ekiti State correctional center.
He said,”During investigation, the suspect confessed to series of his criminal activities including the armed robbery attack on First Bank Plc, Ifaki-Ekiti branch on 19/04/2018 where a Police Inspector was shot dead, attack on Wema Bank, lyin-Ekiti branch on 02/10/2020, attack on Maxwell Hospital, Ado-ekiti on 29/03/2022 amongst others.
In a related development, it was gathered that on 22/08/2022 at about 07:00hrs, upon a credible tip-off, the Command operatives arrested one AYOMIDE FEMI a.k.a BAFEM, AKINOLA BODE and KAYODE DOLAPO in their criminal hideout in Ado-Ekiti for conspiracy burglary and stealing at shops
located opposite Delight Hotel, llawe Road, Ado-Ekiti.
Items recovered from them include groceries, cartoons of indomitable noodles, cosmetics and other valuables
The owners of the shops have however appeared and identified the recovered exhibits as parts of the stolen items carted away from their shop
Furthermore, the statement reads in part, “On 17/08/2022 at about 13:30hrs, a team of the Command’s Rapid Response squad (RRS) while on patrol along Ilawe road, Ado Ekiti intercepted a Volkswagen Golf 3 car loaded with 40 Jerrycans of 30 litres containing Diesel fuel suspected to be product of bunkering.”
The driver, one SAMSON OYEGBOKUN, during interrogation, claimed the ownership of the diesel fuel and confessed that he got them from a bunkering site in lgbokoda Area of Ondo State.
The operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, through credible information, arrested ALI IBRAHIM and ABUBAKAR SIDI for kidnapping one Yinusa Yakubu at Oke-Ako Community, lkole-Ekiti along side other fleeing suspects on 20/07/2022 at about 13:30hrs.
It was gathered that the armed hoodlums robbed their victim of a cash sum of Four Hundred Thousand naira (#400,000:00) and later collected a ransom of Nine Hundred Thousand naira (#900,000:00) from the victim’s family before he was set free.
The suspects confessed to the commission of the crime and further revealed that they have participated in other acts of kidnapping in Ekiti State.
One Taiwo Michael 18yrs from ljesa lsu, Ajayi Opeyemi a.k.a MAKEWAY, Omodara Sunday lekan a.k.a SMALL 21yrs, lbrahim Adekunle a.k.a SNIPPER 21yrs, Abdul Mohammad a.k.a GOSKA 24yrs, OjO Olaoluwa a.k.a OLA 20yrs, Olusesan Segun a.k.a ALWAYS 26yrs were apprehended for Burglary and Stealing.
They allegedly broke into a Supermarket and a phone shop inside a shopping mall owned by one Alabi Ebunoluwa Caroline and Edeh Chinenye Debby on 5/7/22 at about 0130 hrs .They carted away assorted wears, mobile phones , groceries and other valuables. Also arrested is one lbijoju Michael a.k.a OGOTUN 40yrs for receiving some of the stolen phones from the leader of the gang, Olusesan Segun.
DSP Abutu averred that during searches conducted in their houses, one cut to size single barell gun and a locally made Pistol were recovered from Olusesan’s house. Other items recovered include offensive weapons, tools, fifty one cartridges, Camouflage caps and some of the stolen phones.
On 21/8/2022 at about 14:30hrs, a team of the Command operatives, while on patrol along lju/Itaogbolu road, lkere-ekiti intercepted one AFOLAYAN OLANIYI.
The suspects was found to be in possession of one double barrel gun, three(3) live cartridges, one jack knife and criminal charms.
Also, it was gathered that On 21/08/2022 at about 23:30hrs, the Command received a credible information that some suspected members of a secret cult were holding initiation at a criminal hideout in USI-Ekiti.
Operatives were immediately deployed and on getting to the scene, one OMOLE IDOWU, DANIEL SAMSON, MUHAMMAD ABDULLAHI, AKINOLA KEHINDE, OLUWATOSIN ADEBAYO and ADEBAYO KEHINDE were arrested.
Exhibits recovered from them are one cutlass, bags of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp and other illicit drugs.
Investigation revealed that the arrested suspects broke into a shop in USI-Ekiti On 17/08/2022 and carted away items such as cosmetics, hair attachments, drinks, footwears, clothes and other Valuables.
The Command’s Anti-Fraud Unit on 19/08/2022 arrested a herbalist, one NURUDEEN IBRAHIM of Aramoko-Ekiti for defrauding a 50-year old business woman of Ogundele Street, Agbado in Ogun State to the tune of Ten Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira (#10,400,000:00) and raping her on several occasions.
The victim explained that she met NURUDEEN IBRAHIM in Aramoko-Ekiti sometimes in September, 2019 when her business was retrogressing and was told to meet him for some rituals in order to make her business flourish and stable.
She narrated that between September 2019 and 2021, the herbalist has collected Eight Million Naira (#8,000,000:00) through bank transfers and additional Two Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira (#2,400,000:00) cash from her as the cost of the rituals.
She further said that the suspect has had unlawful carnal knowledge of her more than three times since then and threatened that she will die if she informs anyone including her husband.
The victim decided to open up to her family members after she started noticing negative signs all over her body, lost her menstruation, lost her business and became very ill after which a family member informed the police which led to the arrest of the herbalist.
The suspect admitted that he only collected Eight Million Naira (#8,000,000:00) from her in order to assist her in prayers that will boost her business.
The Command enjoins all Ekiti State citizens to be security conscious, vigilant and report any suspicious incident, movement or happening observed in their locality to the nearest Police Station or call 08062335577.
The police command who said it’s breakthrough in combating crimes in Ekiti State was as a result of useful information gotten from members of the society , thereby appreciated their partnership.