About 24 hours after killing of two traditional rulers, the Ekiti State Police Command has apprehended five suspected kidnappers.
The suspects were captured during a thorough operation conducted by a joint team comprising the Police, NSCDC, Amotekun, OPC, and local hunters.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Sunday Abutu, revealed that the arrests were made in a forested area as part of a larger effort to eliminate criminal elements, particularly kidnappers, from the state.
The operation covered strategic locations, including Oke-Osun, Ikere/Igbo-Okah, and the dense forest around Iju/Ikere boundary.
The arrested suspects were identified as Usman Jelili, Mohammed Bande, Abubakar Aliu, Isah Abdulahi, and Suleiman Abdulahi.
However, Abutu emphasised that the investigation is ongoing, and it is yet to be confirmed if these kidnappers are linked to the tragic demise of the traditional rulers.
“While we’ve successfully apprehended these suspects, we cannot definitively establish a connection to the killings of the traditional rulers until our investigations are concluded,” stated DSP Sunday Abutu.
During the rigorous interrogation of the suspects, they initially claimed to be herdsmen. However, subsequent findings revealed that none of them possessed any cattle, and no livestock was discovered in the forest where they were apprehended.
Items confiscated from the suspects included two motorcycles, one cutlass, one jackknife/dagger, and four mobile phones.
The absence of cattle, combined with the discovery of these items, has raised suspicions about the true nature of the suspects’ activities.
The Ekiti State Police Command remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of its residents.
As investigations progress, more details are expected to emerge, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding the tragic killing of the traditional rulers and the potential connections to the arrested kidnappers.
The state government has urged citizens to remain vigilant and cooperate with law enforcement agencies to combat crime effectively.