The Osun State Police Command has arrested 10 suspects in connection with separate incidents involving alleged violent crimes in Modakeke and an attack on the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree.
The arrests come barely days before the state’s governorship election scheduled for Saturday, with the command intensifying security operations across the state.
Four suspects were apprehended in Modakeke, Ife East Local Government Area, over allegations bordering on conspiracy, attempted murder, assault occasioning harm and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms.
The suspects were identified as Olufemi Olatunji, 39; Ajayi Idowu, 31; Akingbala Oluwakemi, 40; and Adekunle Basirat, 40.
They were arrested by police operatives at about 2am on August 9, following a petition submitted to the Commissioner of Police.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, disclosed the arrests in a statement issued on Wednesday.
According to the command, searches conducted at the suspects’ residences and business premises led to the recovery of two firearms.
The weapons were said to include a locally fabricated cut-to-size gun and a pump-action firearm.
The police said the locally made weapon was recovered from Basirat’s shop, while the pump-action gun was found in Oluwakemi’s residence.
The command further identified Basirat as the wife of Solomon Akinlabi, popularly known as “Indomine”, while Oluwakemi was described as the wife of Akingbala Akindele, also known as “Ostand”.
The four suspects, the police said, remained in custody and were assisting investigators in unraveling the circumstances surrounding the alleged offences.
In a separate operation, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit arrested six persons suspected of belonging to an unlawful society following an alleged invasion of the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree.
The incident reportedly involved armed hoodlums who attacked the institution, leaving two students injured.
The six suspects were named as Ajoba Akorede, 27; Adam Oseni, 27; Ogunrinde Ayomide, 21; Ogunlana Muheez, 26; Ajose Noah, 25; and Adeniyi Damola, 25.
The police said Akorede and Oseni admitted during interrogation that they belonged to the Aye confraternity, although investigators were yet to establish whether the two were students of the polytechnic.
The command said investigations into both incidents were ongoing, adding that the suspects would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations.
It also stated that efforts were being intensified to track down other persons allegedly connected with the Modakeke incident.
