The Ondo State Police Command on Thursday paraded 12 persons allegedly involved in armed robbery, rape and other criminal activities.
Among the suspects were the alleged killers of a Point of Sales terminal operator, Solomon Ehingbe, at the Owe-Akala area of Akure, the state capital, in January this year. The deceased was allegedly shot by the gang after he was robbed; he died shortly.
Parading the suspects at the command headquarters in Akure, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Bolaji Salami, said the men were arrested following a tip-off from members of the public. He identified them as Deji Ajayi, Babajide Adewole, Dare Adeoye, Banjo Adu.
Besides the robbery suspects, the CP also paraded nine people allegedly involved in burglary, rape and vandalism.
They include, Omoyajowo Gbenga, Igbekele Ajenode, John, Isreal Ramnap, Partem Small, Destiny Emmanuel, Ayodele Adedotun, Fredrick Samuel and Olanrewaju.
Salami said, “The suspects include a four-man gang whose specialty is robbing and killing of PoS operators and filling station attendants in the Akure metropolis; a serial rapist who ambushed and raped women on their farms within the Ore axis; and other crime suspects that were arrested in other parts of the state.
“The robbers, all masked, later escaped on a motorcycle. Immediately the case was reported, policemen attached to the Anti-Robbery Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department of the command kept their heads on the swivel to monitor the activities of criminals within the Akure metropolis and this led to a breakthrough, in which the notorious gang was tracked down and apprehended in their hideout.
“These same young men on December 23, 2020, invaded Ifeoma Restaurant located around the NEPA area of Akure, fired gunshots into the air and robbed the director of the restaurant, Chief Joseph Okeke, of the sum of N1.2m cash, being proceeds from the sales of the day and also carted away handsets of customers who were at the scene.”
The police boss said the suspects had confessed to the crimes and would soon be charged to court.