Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
The Ekiti State Police Command saturday paraded five notorious suspected armed robbers and rapists who have been terrorizing a section of Ado Ekiti recently among which some were members of a vigilante group, Adeniyi Busayo and Tunde Fadunmila.
Fadunmila and Adeniyi, who was alleged for robbing the victims with police uniform, were night guards hired for neighbourhood watch at Enu Odi in Odo Ado Area of Ado Ekiti.
Other suspects-members of the five-man gang-were Owoeye Ojo, Agbetuyi Taiwo and Lasisi Friday.
Briefing journalists in Ado Ekiti during the parade, the state Police Public
Relations Officer, Mr. Alberto Adeyemi, said the suspects robbed
Faglo Petrol-chemical filling Station along federal Polytechnic road in Ado Ekiti, and houses belonging to Pastor Olalekan Timothy and Chief Oladokun Oke at about 10p.m. on the night of August 28.
The PPRO revealed that Oke, who came out during the robbery operation to challenge them, was shot in the hands and stomach and was rushed to the hospital by neighbours for treatment.
He said the suspects were not only robbing, but torturing and raping the victims after using big stones to break their doors.
Seized from them were three Dane guns, three cutlasses , charms and big stones, which they allegedly used to break the doors for them to gain entry.
Adeyemi added that the suspects during the operation carted away materials valued N428, 000, which included cash, phones, recharge cards and soft drinks.
“At Faglo petrol chemical filling station, they broke into the malt after holding security guard hostage and made away with cash.
“Our men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad were able to arrest them through intelligence gathering and veracious information from members of the public.
“We have concluded our investigations by calling the victims who were
able to identify some of them and we shall take them to the court on
Wednesdayâ€, he stated.
Speaking on the robbery, one of the victims, Chief Oke, who is the
Onibedo of Ado Ekiti, maintained that Agbetuyi was the one who shot him.
“I was able to identify them because they had earlier wined and dined
in my house during Udi Iroko festival in Ado Ekiti which was held on
August 26. So, I knew them and I can stand by what I said,†he said.
A 22-year old suspect, Agbetuyi confessed that he actually committed
the crime, saying he did it out of youthful exuberance.
“I was given the sum of N35,000 out of the loot but I did not fire the shot that hit Oke. I didn’t know precisely how much we made
because it was Fadunmila who sold them and gave me my share,†he revealed.
