The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested individuals responsible for the killings of a Point of Sale operator and a rice hawker in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, last week.
Mr Adeniran Akinwale, the state Commissioner of Police, revealed this on Wednesday while parading 21 individuals detained for various crimes in the state, claiming that the killers were also responsible for the other deaths in the state last week.
Recall that on Tuesday of last week, gunmen on motorcycles assassinated a ticket officer from the Commercial Motorcycles Riders Association, as well as a PoS operator in the EKSUTH region and a rice hawker in the Oja Bisi neighbourhood.
The CP, who was represented at the procession by Sunday Abutu, the state Police Public Relations Officer, stated that the accused will be charged in court once the investigations were completed.
He implored residents “to be security conscious and report to the nearest police station any suspicious person or group of persons.”
According to Abutu, three members of the killer squad, who are also members of the Eiye Confraternity, have been captured, and police are looking for others who are on the run.
The PPRO said that following the recent fracas among rival secret cult group members, especially the Supreme “Eiye” Confraternity and the Black Axe “Aiye” Confraternity in Ado-Ekiti that led to unrest as well as killing and robbing of innocent citizens, “the command activated a full-scale manhunt to arrest the perpetrators, bring them to justice and restore a peaceful atmosphere.”
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He said that the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, “acting on credible tip-off, arrested one Aluko Olamide in Ado Ekiti. Further investigation led to the arrest of one Atewogboye Olumide Emmanuel at Ekute Quarters, Ado Ekiti. Intensified effort led to the arrest of one Salawudeen Lookman.”
He identified exhibits recovered from them as phones, SIM cards, locally manufactured single barrel pistols, and ammo.
Abutu said, “The suspects confessed that they, alongside other fleeing members of their gang identified as Atewogboye Ibrahim and one nicknamed Tornado, were responsible for the killing of one Omoyajowo Olanipekun (ticket agent) on Tuesday last week, the killing of one Ibrahim Taofeek Ayinde (POS operator), and the killing of one Abdullahi Dogon-Daji (rice hawker) on Thursday last week.
“They equally confessed to the attacking and killing of one Abdullahi Abubakar on June 19 during the process of robbing him of his motorcycle. The gang equally shot one Olakunle Rasak at Ori Apata, Along Adebayo Area, Ado-Ekiti, who is presently receiving treating in the hospital.
“The suspects confessed further that the killing of the rice hawker inside Bisi Market was a mistake as they actually targeted a rival cult member who was standing beside the victim.
“According to them, the attack was to revenge the killing of one Okunola Dami, who was their member, who was shot dead on 27th May 2024 around Dalimore Area, of Ado-Ekiti, by members of a rival secret cult group.”
Other suspects paraded were four who admitted to being involved for robbery attacks on several innocent individuals in Ado-Ekiti and Ikere Ekiti.
The suspects also included five males who admitted to stealing cars from parking lots in Ado Ekiti.
