On Tuesday, the Kwara State Police Command held a press conference where they presented 13 suspected criminals involved in various offenses committed within the state.
Among them were suspected kidnappers who, during their operations in the Isanlu-Isin and Ijara-Isin forests of Kwara South Senatorial District, caused the deaths of three victims during a police rescue mission.
The suspects were paraded in Ilorin at the state police command headquarters, and the State Police Commissioner, Ebunoluwarotimi Adelesi, identified the deceased victims allegedly killed by the suspected kidnappers as Kayode Musa, Abubakar Haruna, and Ajide Abiodun.
The individuals responsible for this heinous act were revealed as Haruna Nuhu (28), Umaru Shehu (25), Maazu Masaje (35), Sanni Masaje (21), Mohammed Usman (20), and Buba Okeode.
The Commissioner disclosed that various exhibits were allegedly recovered from the suspects, including five cutlasses, criminal charms, assorted mobile phones, one locally made iron pistol with two live ammunition, and one expended ammunition of a revolver pistol.
Giving a background to the incident, Commissioner Ebunoluwarotimi explained, “On Thursday, July 13, 2023, at approximately 1700HRS, one Abubakar Haruna AKA Muslim and one Kayode Musa were driving from Oke-Onigbin to Isanlu-Isin in a Toyota Camry when a group of armed men suspected to be Bororo Fulani emerged from the bush, abducted them, and disappeared into the forest.”
“While efforts to rescue the victims were underway, on 21/7/2023, at about 0630hrs, a team consisting of police officers, local vigilantes, and hunters, who were searching for the victims, encountered gunfire from the kidnappers. In a desperate attempt to evade capture, the suspects shot and killed two of their hostages and escaped into the bush, some of them sustaining bullet injuries. However, one of the victims, Ajide Abiodun Olaoluwa, was rescued alive.”
“Continuing the pursuit of the kidnappers, the police, along with hunters and vigilantes, combed the forests between Ijara-Isin and Isanlu-Isin, where intelligence suggested the kidnappers were hiding. This led to the arrest of the aforementioned suspects, along with the confiscation of their weapons,” added the Commissioner.
Additionally, five other individuals were paraded for criminal conspiracy and theft. They were Awokunle Gideon, Yahusa Bashiru, Nuhu Ali, Usman Yahaya, and Aliyu Ibrahim, who were allegedly caught transporting bundles of stolen cable wires in the Tanke Area of Ilorin metropolis.
Furthermore, two individuals, Usman Abdulkadir and Ibrahim Saheed, were also presented for their alleged involvement in motorcycle theft and receiving stolen items. Ibrahim Saheed, who works for the Kwara State Traffic Management Agency (KWATMA), was arrested for receiving the allegedly stolen motorcycle.
The police commissioner stated that investigations were ongoing, and once completed, the suspects would be charged to court to face justice.
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