We started robbing after SARS disbandment– Suspects
By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti
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An armed robbery syndicate arrested by the Ekiti State Police Command have confessed that they formed their gang after the disbandment of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) in October, 2020, following the EndSARS protest.
The suspect were arrested alongside a 53-year-old blacksmith, Ayo Odeyemi, who specializes in manufacturing different types of gun the armed robbers used to operate within Ekiti State.
According to the Commissioner of Police, Tunde Motayo who reportedly by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Sunday Abutu, on January 27, 2022, a team of RRS operatives had arrested one Giwa Tosin a.k.a Ogolo and Adegoke Joshua a.k.a Goke in Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti west local government area of the state.
The PPRO revealed that all the arrested suspects are ex-convict who had served different jail terms in the Nigeria Correctional center, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state and Olokuta Correctional centre, Akure, Ondo State.
He explained that the arrested suspects made confessional statements to be members of the armed robbery gang terrorising the people of the state.
“They equally confirmed that they were responsible for the armed robbery incidents on innocent citizens of Ekiti State in about ninety-six (96) houses within Ado-Ekiti and its environment such as Embassy Inland, Ado-Ekiti in 2021, Ajebamidele Area in 2021.
Abutu said, the suspects confessed to have robbed Niran students hostel, along Polytechnic road, Ado-Ekiti where they raped two female students, Agogo community in Ilupeju Avenue, Ado-Ekiti and also killed one Joseph Blessing who was a night guard.
The suspects also confessed to have killed one Apata Olabode Francis, a POS operator at Ajebamidele Area of Ado-Ekiti on January, 2022 where they raped a lady, Irewolede Estate along Ilawe road, Ado-Ekiti in January, 2022 and Oke Ureje quarters Ado-Ekiti in January, 202
The police spokesperson said the blacksmith, Odeyemi, an indigene of Ijare in Ifedore local government area of Ondo State was arrested in the community and whisked away to Ekiti State by the police following a confession by a group of armed robbers arrested.
The suspected blacksmith popularly called Ayo Agbede, a Chief in the community later confessed to have sold four locally made barrel guns, one Barreta pistol, twelve locally made gun, two expanded and cartridges, while metal hands and gun making tools was also recovered from the blacksmith.