The Oyo State Police Command has neutralised the leader of a suspected armed robbery gang that recently killed a police officer in Ibadan, the state capital.
The police also arrested three others suspected to be members of the gang.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Adewale Osifeso, made this known while parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan on Friday.
The suspects were said to have killed ASP Ogunleye Daniel during the invasion of his residence at Ori-Agogo, Odo-Ona Kekere area of Ibadan on April 29.
Other suspects paraded by the command included: six highway robbers, who specialised in motorcyle snatching and removing cars from wherever they might be parked.
Osifeso said that the leader of the armed robbery gang was neutralised during an encounter with the police during their trail.
He said that the suspected armed robbers, numbering five, invaded Ori-Agogo area of Odo-Ona Kekere in Ibadan on April 29 at about 1.00 a.m. and robbed several residents of their belongings.
Osifeso said that the suspects, during the robbery operation, killed Daniel, serving at the State CID, Iyaganku, Ibadan and who was a resident of the community, after having robbed him and other members of his family.
“Consequently, detectives from the State Criminal Investigations Department’s Anti- Robbery section immediately swung into action and tracked the suspects, using a mobile phone found at the scene of the crime.
“Three suspects, including their spiritual healer, were arrested, while their gang leader, popularly known as Ogun, who allegedly shot and killed the deceased officer, was neutralised at an encounter with police operatives during their trail,” he said.
Osifeso said that the suspects, during their voluntarily confession to the crimes, revealed their criminal receiver, popularly known as Iya Alaye.
He said that the person, who used to receive jewelry proceeds from them, was tracked and arrested at Oranyan area of Ibadan.
Osifeso listed the items found with the suspects to include: two Samsung phones, a 1999 model Hyundai Elantra vehicle and a cut-to-size locally-made barrel, two wristwatches, two wedding bands, herbal concoction as well as gold and criminal charms.
One of the suspects, in an interview, said he had just returned from prison but had to go back into robbery because there was no job and support from family members, having lost his parents.
He said that their gang leader, who had been neutralised by the police, introduced him into robbery and that he had only participated in three robbery operations with his gang members.
He pleaded for leniency.
Items recovered from the other suspects paraded included: 10 master keys and four Bajaj motorcycles, among others.
The police spokesman, however, called on citizens of the state to always take care of their health, saying that the command was concerned about the spike in the suicide cases recorded in the state in April.
He said that the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Adebowale Williams, appreciated the consistent partnership and goodwill extended to the command by other sister agencies and stakeholders in the battle against crime and its corresponding offshoots.
Osifeso also used the occasion to announce the change in date of the 2023/2024 entrance/admission examinations into Police Children’s Secondary Schools in the state from June 3 to June 10.
“The Oyo State Police Command, on behalf of the Force Education Officer, wishes to announce the change in date of its 2023/2024 Entrance/Admission Exams into Police Children Secondary Schools in Oyo State from June 3 to June 10, 2023,” he said.
