By Ado Oyeyemi
A 47-year-old refrigeration and air conditioning technician, Idris Abiodun Clement, has been killed during a midnight robbery attack in Akure, the Ondo State capital, as police confirmed the arrest of a suspect linked to the crime.
The incident occurred at the weekend in the Shagari area of Akure South Local Government Area, where a gang of armed robbers reportedly invaded the community in the early hours, attacking residents and carting away valuables.
According to residents, the assailants, believed to be three or four in number, stormed the neighbourhood around 1 a.m. and robbed several homes before forcing their way into Clement’s residence.
The attack has left the community in shock, while the deceased’s family and friends have called on security agencies to ensure that everyone involved in the killing is apprehended and prosecuted.
One of the deceased’s sons, AbdulFatai Clement, said the robbers had already raided two houses before arriving at their family home.
He explained that his father confronted one of the attackers in an attempt to protect his family, unaware that the gang was armed and operating in numbers.
According to him, the assailants attacked the victim with axes and cutlasses before one of them shot him at close range.
He said the robbers fled immediately after the shooting, while family members rushed Clement to hospital, where he was later confirmed dead after losing a significant amount of blood.
A close associate of the deceased, identified simply as Hakeem, described the late technician as a hardworking and generous man who was always willing to support others in their legitimate businesses.
He recalled that Clement was well known in the community for repairing refrigerators and air conditioners and for encouraging people to pursue honest means of livelihood.
The deceased’s widow, Taibat Clement, described her husband as a peaceful, responsible and dedicated family man whose death had left an irreplaceable void in the family.
She appealed to the Ondo State Government and security agencies to ensure that those behind the attack were brought to justice.
Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Command said one suspect had been arrested in connection with the robbery and killing.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said the suspect was currently in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department and was assisting detectives with ongoing investigations.
He assured the family of the deceased and residents that the command would pursue every person connected with the crime, stressing that efforts were underway to arrest other members of the robbery gang who remain at large.
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Abayomi added that the Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, had directed a thorough investigation into the incident and vowed that all those found culpable would face the full weight of the law.
