Day of reckoning for robbery suspects, others

Yekini Jimoh, Ilorin

THE Kwara State police Command has paraded about 17 suspected criminals arrested across the state recently. Among those paraded by the state police commissioner, Alhaji Audu Abubakar was an armed robbery suspect who was arrested in Omuan.

According to the police Commissioner, “On the 8th of January at about 2 pm, the police in Oro-Ago police station alerted the Divisional Headquarters, Omu-Aran of incidence going on between Oro-Ago and Odofin Odo-Ase area. My men promptly went to the scene of the incident. On sighting the police, the robbers ran into the bush. When the bush was combed, two suspects: one Abubakar Mohammed and Abubakar Yakubu were arrested while items found in their possession were: two black mask, two cutlasses and one black coat.

The CP however stated that during preliminary investigations, one Olaniyi Olayemi of Isale-Oro-Ago garage came to Omu-Aran station and identified the two suspects to be those that robbed him on the 5th of last month along Ogunalu of Idofian Odo-Ase village.

Another suspect who was also paraded was one Bayo Umoru who was found with a half decomposed skull of a child.

Abubakar told newsmen at the occasion that the suspect was arrested on the 4th of last month by police Corporal Thomas Julius attached to the Ojoku police post.

Abubakar said that the police officer was on surveillance patrol when he sighted the suspect with a polythene bag in a suspicious manner.

On searching the bag, a decomposed skull of an unidentified child was found inside. He was said to have confessed that he dug and removed the decomposed skull from Ojoku cementry for the purpose of money making rituals as he claimed to be a herbalist and also a peasant farmer.

Alhaji Audu Abubakar also paraded a three-man armed robbery gang that specialised in robbing petrol stations and eateries at the outskirts of Ilorin.

According to the CP, “On the 6th of last month, a good samaritan went to ‘D’ Division Adewole Estate police station and reported that he had just identified one of the armed men that robbed a filling station along Adewole Estate, Ilorin on the 2nd of last month. The suspect was promptly arrested and when searched, assorted charms were found tied round his waist. He was taken to the station where he confessed to be a member of the three-man gang that robbed the filling station and carted away the sum of N223, 000.00.”

One Segun Aina of Sango, Ilorin, also a member of the gang was arrested. He was one time a student of the University of Ilorin, studying Mathematics but was rusticated in 2006 for being involved in cult activities. He was alleged to be the leader of BUCCANEER that unleashed terror on the school premises and Tanke area in 2006 when BUCCANEER clashed with the BLACK AXE. He was charged to court and sentenced to prison where he spent 7 months before he was granted bail in June 2007.

Another set of on armed robbery gang that often blocked Jebba and Mina road was also paraded.

“On the 7th of last month, one Oloye Ajayi of Berger area and Wasiu Ahmed of same address came to Jebba police station with a man simple identified as Gunaja Ja Hakim of Kosa village near Aderan in Kaiama local government council. They informed the police that the suspect brought one Sagem GSM handset for charging and insertion of new SIM card. When he was questioned as to his reason for charging a new SIM pack as the set had one on, the suspect could not give a reasonable explanations. He was thereafter brought to the station.”

He was interrogated and further inquiries took detectives to Kosa village via Kaiama. The suspect had hinted that one Hassan was their leader who had been terrorizsing Jebba-Minna road. Fortunately, when detectives arrived there, Hassan and other members of the gang were holding meeting preparatory to another robbery operations.

On sighting the police, the gang opened fire on the police and during the exchange of fire, Hassan and one other were shot dead. Items recovered from them were: one locally made while single barrel cartridge pistol; expanded cartridge shells and cutlasses.

Also paraded was one Alhaji Lateef Kayode, a notorious 419ner. According to Abubakar, “He was also known to be preparing charms for armed robbers. His shrine was searched where four fake American Dollars in 100 denomination and assorted charms were recovered as he was found of deceiving un suspecting victims under the pretext that spirits were speaking or communicating with them.