Three robbery suspects have been arrested by detectives of the Kwara State Police Command in a major crackdown on criminals around Kwara State University axis, Malete.
They are Ridwan Abdulfatai (20), from Oke-Foma area in Ilorin, said to be a jailbird; Ibrahim Ridwan Akorede (25), also of Oke-Foma area, Ilorin; and Aliyu Abubakar Apalando (25).
They all confessed to their crimes, according to the police command’s spokesperson, SP Okasanmi Ajayi in Ilorin on Sunday.
The crackdown, he revealed, was due to reports of armed robbery/rape cases recieved by Malete Divisional Police Headquarters from attacked students and residents of Malete.
In a swift response, the state Commissioner of Police, Paul Odama, set up a crack team of detectives comprising the Anti-cultism, Anti-Kidnapping, Anti-robbery and personnel of Malete Division with the mandate to break the suspects’ foothold and bring the culprits to justice.
“In carrying out the directive of the CP after recieving another report of an armed robbery attack from the trio of Adeboyo Omolade ‘F’, Adeyeye Adebola ‘F’ and Babatunde Hellen ‘F’ all 400L students of Kwara State University, Malete, that at about 0330hrs of 07/10/2022, they were all robbed at their hostel called ‘Downtown’ hostel by armed hoodlums and their property forcefully carted away.
“While approaching the suspected hide out of the gang, the team was sighted by the hoodlums and the armed robbers took to their heels, but one Ridwan Abdulfatai ‘M’ aged 20yrs, from Oke Fomo Ilorin was arrested by the detectives.”
Okasanmi added, “consequently, the suspect under intense interrogation confessed he is the leader of a robbery gang terrorizing the Malete community and its environs, stating also that he is also a jail bird.”
The police spokesman said the suspect led the investigators to effect the arrest of two other members of the gang, Akorede and Apalado, who have confessed to the crimes.
The investigation, he added, also led to the recovery of some items suspected to have been snatched at gun points during some of their operations.
The items include one locally-made gun, one jack knife, charms, 11 generators, 87 handsets, 10 laptops and two television sets among others.
Effort is still geared towards arresting the remaining members of the gang, Okasanmi further disclosed.
Paul Odama, promised to charge the suspects to court after conclusion of investigation, warning criminal elements in the state to either relocate from the state or be relocated to prisons.
According to the CP, no stone would be left unturned in ensuring that Kwara State, a state of harmony remains truly a state of harmony.
While advising members of the public, the CP reiterated the need to always give information to the police, as it could not work in isolation of the members of the society.
He stated his resolve to operate an open door policy in line with the spirit and letter of community policing.
