Motor park officer, three others paraded over Osun killings

The newly deployed Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, on Thursday paraded four men in connection with the killing of two people in Ikire, Osun State.

One of those paraded includes Sikiru Adedeji, a ticket officer at the Naira and Kobo Motor park in Ikire, who admitted that a suspected political thug, identified simply as Ayewo, snatched an AK-47 rifle from the police operatives responding to a distress call and fired the shots that killed two persons that died in the incident.

Stating other facts of the matter, Zungura said

Following intelligence gathered and technical analysis of available information relating to the incident, operatives of the Command, on Wednesday, arrested the four suspects.

The CP, who said Olalere Taiwo ‘m’ age 21, Olalere Ademola ‘m’, age 26 years, and Bankole Abiodun ‘m’, age 20 years, are the other suspects nabbed in connection with the crime, added that one cutlass-like object was recovered from the suspects.

“DPO Ikire and his men made a swift response to a distress call. On getting to Naira & Kobo area Ikire, a group of armed hoodlums numbering about 30 descended on the Police Officers and forcefully snatched an AK 47 rifle from one of the Policemen.

“One of the hoodlums popularly known as Ayewo started shooting sporadically with the snatched AK-47 rifle, which hit three Policemen and two passers-by. Which later resulted to the death of the two passers-by, while the hoodlums ran away with the Police official rifle, and the injured Policemen were taken to hospital for medical treatment,” he said

The Osun police boss further said that during preliminary interrogation, the suspects confessed to being political thugs that belong to a faction headed by one Ayewo, who is still at large, that was identified as the person that fired shots with the snatched police Ak 47 rifle.

He commended the operatives involved in the investigation for their professionalism, dedication and effective utilisation of intelligence and technical capabilities in tracking down the suspects.

He assured members of the public that every individual found to have participated in or contributed to the commission of the offence will be made to face the full weight of the law.

He, however, appealed to members of the public to continue to provide the Police with credible and timely information that can assist in preventing crime and apprehending criminal elements.

Responding to questions from journalists, Adedeji said Ayewo snatched the police AK-47 rifle and fired shots with it, which killed two persons who died in the incident.

He also said Ayewo sent a voice note to him urging him to flee as the police were already on their trail.

The PUNCH reports that Osun State Police Command earlier said suspected hoodlums who snatched an AK‑47 service rifle from its personnel were responsible for the killing of two persons in Ikire last Monday.

In a statement signed and released by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, obtained in Osogbo, the police identified the victims of the shooting incident as Nurení Sobowale, male, aged 49 years, of Odeda Area, Abeokuta, and Saheed Akinrole, male, aged 43 years, of Adeagbo Compound, Ikire.

The police also said two police officers sustained serious injuries during the attack, adding that a patrol vehicle attached to Ikire Division was forcefully taken away by the assailants during the attack.