Police arrest 13 suspected criminals in Kwara

The Kwara State Police Command on Tuesday paraded 13 suspected criminals for various offenses in the state.

Among them were suspected kidnappers who in the course of their operations killed three victims during a police rescue mission in the Isanlu-Isin and Ijara-Isin forests of Kwara South Senatorial District.

While parading the suspects in Ilorin on Tuesday at the State Police Command Headquarters, State Police Commissioner Ebunoluwarotimi Adelesi identified the deceased victims believed to have been killed by the alleged kidnappers as Kayode Musa, Abubakar Haruna and Ajide Abiodun. /2023/07/IMG-20230725-WA0092.jpg" alt="" width="1080" height="540" srcset="https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG-20230725-WA0092.jpg 1080w, https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/20 2 3/07/IMG-20230725-WA0092-300x150.jpg 300w, https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG-20230725-WA0092-1024x512.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px"/>

The masterminds behind the despicable act have also been identified as Haruna Nuhu (28), Umaru Shehu (25), Maazu Masaje (35), Sanni Masaje (21), Mohammed Usman (20), and Buba Okeode.

CP revealed exhibits allegedly recovered from the suspects include five cutlasses, criminal charms, assorted telephones, a locally made iron pistol with two live ammunition and spent ammunition from a revolver pistol.

Ebunoluwarotimi, while describing the background to the incident, said: "On Thursday, July 13, 2023, at around 5:00 p.m., a Muslim Abubakar Haruna alias and a Kayode Musa 'M' were driving from Oke-Onigbin to Isanlu-Isin in a Toyota Camry, when a group of armed men suspected of being Bororo Fulani came out of the bush, abducted them and disappeared in the bush.

"While efforts to rescue the victims were underway, on 7/21/2023, at around 6:30 a.m., a team of police, local security guards and hunters already searching for the victims were greeted by bursts of gunfire.

"In an effort to evade capture, the suspects shot and killed their two victims and fled into the bush, some of them with gunshot wounds while Ajide Abiodun Olaoluwa, one of the victims, was rescued alive.

"As part of police efforts to arrest the kidnappers, police, hunters and vigilantes stormed the forests between Ijara-Isin and Isanlu-Isin where intelligence revealed the kidnappers were hiding and arrested the above suspects with their weapons," CP added. /2023/07/IMG-20230725-WA0090.jpg" alt="" width="1080" height="540" srcset="https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG-20230725-WA0090.jpg 1080w, https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/20 2 3/07/IMG-20230725-WA0090-300x150.jpg 300w, https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG-20230725-WA0090-1024x512.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px"/>

Five other suspects brought before the police for criminal conspiracy and theft included Awokunle Gideon, Yahusa Bashiru, Nuhu Ali, Usman Yahaya and Aliyu Ibrahim, who were allegedly caught carrying suspected stolen wire harnesses along the Tanke area of ​​the Ilorin metropolis.

The PC said the suspects will be brought to justice at the end of the investigation.

Two other people, Usman Abdulkadir and Ibrahim Saheed, also paraded for alleged theft of a motorcycle and receiving stolen property.

Ibrahim Saheed, a staff member of Kwara State Traffic Management Agency, KWATMA, was arrested for receiving the allegedly stolen motorbike.