The Ekiti State Police Command has apprehended three suspects, including an ex-convict, for crimes related to armed robbery, kidnapping, and murder. The arrests were made at various locations following recent security breaches in the state, particularly targeting Point of Sale (PoS) agents and involving the murder and abduction of residents.
The command's spokesperson, DSP Sunday Abutu, announced on Sunday, August 4, 2024, that the suspects were arrested in connection with these violent incidents. Among the arrested is Omowaye Ayodele, also known as Baba Ogbon, an ex-convict released from prison in May 2024 after serving time for kidnapping. He was apprehended in Akure.
The other suspects are Ojo Temidayo, a.k.a Yellow, and Busarà Lookman, a.k.a Abbey. The trio confessed to the robbery and murder of a middle-aged woman, Aina Adeyemi, near the Federal Polytechnic Satellite campus in Ado-Ekiti on July 6, 2024. They made away with N155,000 from the victim.
Ayodele also admitted to participating in the kidnapping and murder of Professor Femi Olaofe, a former deputy vice-chancellor of Ekiti State University (EKSU).
The Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the command was deployed to the crime scene, where the victim was found in a pool of blood. She was rushed to Ekiti State Teaching Hospital but was declared dead by the doctors.
Investigations by the RRS led to the arrest of Ayodele in Akure. During interrogation, Ayodele implicated Temidayo and Lookman as his accomplices. Lookman admitted to shooting and robbing the victim while Ayodele and Temidayo monitored the area.
Further efforts by the RRS resulted in the capture of Lookman, who confessed to shooting the deceased and robbing her of N155,000. He confirmed Ayodele and Temidayo as his partners in crime, along with Sunday Onyema, who remains at large.
Ayodele revealed that he had been arrested in 2015 for kidnapping, served his sentence, and was released in May 2024. He also confessed to attacking various PoS operators in Ado-Ekiti, including those in Bawa Estate Area and Better Life Area.
Temidayo, who also confessed to selling Indian hemp and engaging in fraud, is currently under investigation. The police are intensifying efforts to apprehend the fleeing gang member who allegedly holds the gang's weapons.
The suspects will be arraigned after the completion of the investigation, ensuring they face justice for their heinous crimes.
