Police in Ekiti State have apprehended six suspected armed robbers who target Point of Sale (POS) operators and businessmen to steal their money.
Mr. Adeniran Akinwale, Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command, identified the accused as Doyin Ajisafe, Joshua Olabanji, Femi Fasusi, Femi Adewale, Olayosi Adeolodi, and Ezekiel Babalola.
Akin Wale, accompanied by the Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, spoke in Ado Ekiti on Friday while parading the six suspects and three other suspected armed robbers at the Ekiti State Command Headquarters.
He said, “Upon a credible tip-off, the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad swooped on the hoodlums in their different hideouts.
“Investigation revealed that the suspects have attacked and robbed not less than nine P.O.S. operators between June 19, 2024, and August 5, 2024, in Ado Ekiti.
“The suspects, during interrogation, confessed to having robbed P.O.S. operators at Ori-Apata, Adebayo, Basiri, Better Life, Olaoluwa, Oke-Ila, Housing, and Moferere, all in Ado-Ekiti metropolis.
“Investigation revealed that they were in their various criminal hideouts planning to launch more attacks on P.O.S. operators and other innocent traders when they were arrested. One locally made single barrel gun loaded with one live cartridge was recovered from them.”
The suspects informed journalists that they targeted PoS operators in the early hours or at the end of the day.
The police commissioner said, “All the suspects arrested will be charged to court accordingly; effort will definitely be intensified to ensure the arrest of the few others who are currently on the run.
“Undoubtedly, the last two months have been quite challenging as criminal elements devised a new method of perpetrating their criminal acts by using motorcycles to rob and attack their innocent targets, especially PoS operators, with guns and sometimes causing fatalities.
“I immediately after the first incident that occurred on June 20th, 2024, gave a marching order to the Command Intelligence and Tactical Units to fish out those hoodlums responsible for the barbaric acts.
“You would recall that some of those hoodlums were arrested, investigated, and paraded on June 26th, 2024. Effort intensified, leading to the arrest of three others who were equally investigated and paraded on 2nd July, 2024. They were all arraigned and remanded in the Correctional Centre, Ado-Ekiti,” Akinwale said.
He charged residents “to be law-abiding citizens and go about their lawful businesses without any form of apprehension.
“Residents are also implored to give credible and timely information to the police that could lead to the arrest of criminal elements within and outside their environs by calling 08062335577 or visiting the nearest police station,” the police commissioner said.
