Police arrest four suspects over Ikire shooting, recover AK-47 rifle

Suspect alleges Senator Oyewumi ordered gang leader out of town

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

The Osun State Police Command has arrested four suspects in connection with the attack on police officers at the Naira and Kobo area of Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area, which resulted in the deaths of two passers-by and injuries to three policemen.

The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing journalists on the progress of the investigation. He said the suspects were arrested on Wednesday following credible intelligence and technical analysis.

The suspects were identified as Sikiru Ademola Adedeji, 21; Olalere Taiwo, 21; Olalere Ademola, 26; and Bankole Abiodun, 20. Police also recovered an AK-47 rifle and a cutlass-like object from the suspects, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend others still at large.

Zungura said about 30 armed hoodlums attacked the policemen, who had responded to a distress call in the area, and forcefully snatched an AK-47 rifle from one of the officers.

He said one of the hoodlums, identified as Ayewo, allegedly used the rifle to shoot sporadically, hitting three policemen and two passers-by, who later died from their injuries.

The commissioner said preliminary interrogation indicated that the suspects confessed to being political thugs, adding that their faction was allegedly led by Ayewo, whose other name remains unknown.

One of the suspects, Adedeji, told journalists that he was collecting money at the Naira and Kobo park as part of union activities when Ayewo allegedly ordered that a boy be brought to him. He said the boy was brought by two men identified as Scorpion and Lanko and allegedly macheted before the matter was reported to the police.

Adedeji said, “When the police came, they said we should not run away from the police. We stayed and they collected gun from the police. Ayewo started shooting at the police. Two persons died and some policemen were also hit.” He further alleged that he was instructed to tell Ayewo to leave Ikire by an “Oga” whom he identified as Senator Lere Oyewumi.