The police in Ekiti State have arrested 13 suspects, including ex-convicts, in connection with robberies and killings in some parts of the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State, Tunde Mobayo, said on Wednesday that nine of the suspects were members of a killer squad who confessed to have carried out operations in 96 houses within Ado-Ekiti and its environs, including Embassy Inland, Ado-Ekiti, in 2021.
Mobayo, who was represented by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, said the remaining suspects were three receivers of stolen goods and the girlfriend of one of the suspects.
The police spokesperson, who said the suspects were arrested in different locations following investigation by men of the command and operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, said a stolen Bajaj Boxer motorcycle was recovered from the receivers.
According to him, arms recovered from the suspects are a Barreta pistol, 12 locally-made guns, two expended cartridges, 12 metal files, two metal handsaws and gun-making tools.
Abutu said, “All the suspects confessed that they formed the gang and started robbing with arms immediately after the disbandment of SARS in October 2020. They took responsibility for the attack on Niran Students Hostel along Poly Road, Ado-Ekiti in 2021, where they raped two female students, and at Agogo community in Ilupeju Avenue, Ado-Ekiti, in 2021, where they killed one Joseph Blessing, who was a night guard.”
He said the gang also confessed to killing a point-of-sale operator, Francis Apata, at Ilawe-Ekiti in December 2021.
They allegedly also confessed to the rape of a lady in January 2022 at Irewolede Estate area, Ilawe Road.
According to him, others were arrested on January 1, 2022, around 1.45am by the RSS team for allegedly receiving stolen items from the robbery gang.
