The Kwara State Command police detectives on Sunday, announced that they had detained three individuals in connection with the alleged rape and robbery of several female students at Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete in the state’s Moro Local Government Area.
Ridwan Abdulfatai (20), Ibrahim Akorede (25) and Aliyu Apalado (25) all hail from the Oke Fomo neighborhood in Ilorin, according to the police.
The culprits were apprehended after allegations from some female students that they were robbed in their hostel at Malete, a university town, around midnight on Friday, October 7, 2022, according to a statement signed by Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ajayi Okasanmi.
“Due to reports of armed robbery/rape cases recieved by Malete Divisional Police headquarters from attacked students and residents of Malete, a University town in Kwara State, the Commissioner of Police, Cp Paul Odama, pursuant to his earlier assertion that lawlessness of whatever nomenclature would not be allowed in Kwara State, while in office as the commissioner of police in the state.
“He set up a crack team of detectives comprising the anti-cultists, anti-kidnapping, anti-robbery and personnel of Malete Division with the mandate to break the suspects foothold and bring the culprits to justice.
“In carrying out the directive of the CP after recieving another report of an armed robbery attack from the trio of Adeboyo Omolade ‘F’, Adeyeye Adebola ‘F’ and Babatunde Hellen ‘F’ all 400L students of Kwara State University, Malete that at about 03:30am of October 7, 2022, they were all robbed at their hostel called ‘Downtown’ hostel by armed hoodlums and their property forcefully carted away.”
The statement continued, “While approaching the suspected hide out of the gang, the team was sighted by the hoodlums and the armed robbers took to their heels, one Ridwan Abdulfatai ‘M’ aged 20yrs, from Oke Fomo Ilorin was arrested by the detectives.
“Consequently, the suspect under intense interrogation confessed he is the leader of a robbery gang terrorizing the Malete community and its environs, stating also that he is also a jail bird.
“He led the investigators to effect the arrest of two other members of the gang, namely, Ibrahim Ridwan Akorede ‘M’ 25yrs of Oke Fomo area of Ilorin, and Aliyu Abubakar Apalado ‘M’ 25yrs, they all confessed to the crimes.
“The investigation also led to the recovery of the following items snatched on gun points during some of their operations; one locally made gun, one jack knife and charms,11 generators, two motorcycles, one small size fridge, one standing fan and one pumping machine.
“19 iPhone, six hand sets, three iPhone11 handsets, 16 iPhone 6 plus, five iPhone XR and other brands telephone handsets altogether totalling 87 handsets, 10 Laptops and two Television sets.”
Okasanmi stated that efforts were being made to apprehend the other gang members and that the Police Commissioner had pledged to prosecute the accused in court following the conclusion of the inquiry.
The Police boss warned criminal elements in the State to either relocate from the state or be relocated to prisons adding “no stone would be left unturned in ensuring that Kwara State, a state of harmony remains truly, a state of harmony.”
He urged the people to constantly share information with the police because they could not function independently from other members of society. He also pledged to follow the spirit and letter of community policing by maintaining an open door policy.
