The police in Ogun State have arrested 124 suspects for various criminal offences in the last three months. The offences range from kidnapping, armed robbery, land grabbing, sexual offences, and cultism.
The state’s Commissioner of Police (CP), Abiodun Alamutu, disclosed this yesterday, while addressing newsmen in Abeokuta on the significant achievements accomplished in their efforts to combat crime headlong as well as address criminal activities in the state.
He noted the remarkable decline in sundry cases of crimes in the past three months, except for the recent cult related crisis/murder that engulfed Sagamu, of which the police are closing in on the perpetrators.
The CP reassured the people of Ogun State that the Command under his watch will continue to be inhabitable for all criminal elements, especially cultists and land grabbers. He said: “From our last briefing on July 11, the command, in collaboration with other security agencies, have made tremendous progress.
“We have successfully apprehended a total of 124 suspects for various offences. Additionally, we have discovered through credible intelligence their hideouts attacked them and their operational weapons confiscated.
“We equally recovered a reasonable number of exhibits. On October 6, at about 1:00a.m., a distress call was received by Area Commander Sagamu from Majestic Royal Hotel that suspected armed robbers had invaded and operating in the hotel.
“Teams of policemen moved to the scene of the robbery and engaged the robbers in a gun duel. Two of the armed robbers were fatally wounded by superior police fire power. One Elijah Peter Iliasu, ‘m’, 27, was arrested with gunshot injuries.
“On interrogation, he confessed to the crime of armed robbery and further stated that all of them that participated in the armed robbery came from Ibadan in Oyo State to perpetrate the dastard act.
“Effort is on to apprehend other fleeing suspects. One Toyota Venza Car, two locally made double barrel guns, six live cartridges, 18 expended cartridge shells, one big scissors, 17 android phones (belongings to the lodgers), one Java phone, ATM cards of different banks and three bags were recovered. Case is under investigation.”
Enumerating some of the achievements, he said: “On August 20, the Divisional Police Officers, Sagamu division arrested one Shuaibu Isa, ‘m’, 21, a resident of Ibadan, Oyo state, who stole a Bajaj motorcycle with registration number “SGM 557 VQ” confessed to have stolen the motorcycle and many more through a unique modus operandi from the central mosque, Ago-Iwoye during prayer sessions.
“Suspect was arrested while trying to dispose of one of the stolen motorcycles, while the case was under investigation.
“On September 20, acting on an intelligence gathering, officers from Sango Ota Area Command stormed the hideouts of the following suspected armed robbers at Papalanto, Ewekoro and arrested one Ogunleye Abiodun, ‘m’, 27, Oladipupo Akeem, ‘m’ 31, Ibrahim Makaila, ‘m’, 25, Mohammed Sanni, ‘m’, 45, and Ali Mohammadu, ‘m’, 40”.
“The suspects have confessed to be members of the armed robbery gang that had robbed and dispossessed one Adeleke Tayo ‘m’, and Adepoju Ola, ‘m’, of one Toyota corolla and Pontiac vibe vehicles respectively. Case is currently under investigation. Exhibits recovered include two cutlasses, a stick and rope.
“On July 29, information was received by the Divisional Police Officer Ode-Remo, that a lady was lured into an apartment by one Idris Adewole, ‘m’, 27 of Itun-Iraye street, Ode-Remo, and subsequently raped.
“The suspect was arrested, and he confessed to the commission of the crime, adding that he is also a member of the dreaded supreme Eiye confraternity. The case is currently under investigation. Exhibits recovered include one cut to size double barrel shotgun, one live cartridge and two Samsung phones.”
Alamutu pledged his integrity to relentlessly fight criminality to a standstill. However, he said, the window of renunciation was still open to those willing to quit their membership of various cult groups and other acts of criminality.
“My admonition goes to parents/guardians to sensitise their wards to steer clear of crime and tendencies of criminality,” he added.
