A man has been arrested for questioning over the killing of six members of a family in a settlement at Wasinmi Community, in the outskirts of Ikire Town, Osun State, in the early hours of Sunday, March 14, 2021.
The state Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode however said that the unfortunate attack on the family was in no way connected with any clash between farmers and herders, as being speculated in some sections of the media.
Thenewsbearer gathered that the gunmen invaded the residence of the family members at about 3:05a.m., and fatally pumped bullets into the family head, his two wives and three grandchildren.
One other person was also injured during the invasion and shooting.
The Commissioner of Police, with the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Benedict Olugboyega Alabi had visited the scene of the incident to assess the situation in the afternoon.
A member of the deceased’s household was said to have indicted the arrested man, who had allegedly claimed to belong to a local security agency, and threatened to invade the residence, kill its members and set it ablaze.
Thenewsbearer further gathered that the corpses of the slain persons had been taken to Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), in Ile-Ife, for autopsy.
The family members who were Kwara Fulanis, would eventually be buried in Kwara State today, after the release of the bodies by the hospital, it was learnt.
Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Yemisi Opalola had said in statement that the Command had commenced discrete investigations into the incident, and was already carrying out intensive manhunt for the perpetrators to bring them to justice.
According to her, “the Commissioner of Police notes that preliminary investigations by the Police reveal that some yet-to-be-identified gunmen stormed, attacked and shot sporadically at a family of six at a settlement in the outskirts of Wasinmi Village, Ikire, Osun State, leaving one person injured.
“Police operatives from Ikire Division and other law enforcement agencies were promptly drafted to the scene to prevent further attacks on residents in the area and arrest the perpetrators, but the attackers escaped on sighting the security team.
“The police commissioner appeals to the people of the state, particularly residents of Ikire and its environs, not to panic, but collaborate with the police by giving timely information that will assist in arresting the culprits.”
Olokode also reassured the people of the commitment of the police to their safety, as adequate security measures had been taken to forestall future occurrences of such an incident.
The PPRO added that the state police boss urged reporters to verify stories before making it public, in order to avoid misinformation that could trigger unnecessary crisis, capable of disrupting the existing peace being enjoyed in the state.
In another development, Thenewsbearer exclusively gathered that a week ago, precisely on March 6, two commuters travelling in a commercial vehicle were kidnapped by Fulani herdsmen at Egbeda area at Wasinmi, at about
7p.m.
The passengers were said to have been travelling from Ibadan to Ilesa in a Toyota Previa commercial vehicle, with registration number Ondo KTP 331 RG.
They dispossessed the passengers of their valuables, including phones and cash, before spiriting the driver and a passenger away on perceiving the approach of a police patrol team.
The abductors were said to have been determined to kidnap all the passengers, but were able to pick only the driver and a passenger, due to quick intervention of the police.
The abducted persons were said to have been released 48 hours later, after payment of ransom which they did not disclose to law enforcement agents.
It was gathered that the police operatives at Ikire Division, in collaboration with vigilante groups, local hunters and Oodua People’s Congress members, had a hectic time confronting the kidnappers, as they brazenly shot sporadically.
However, one of them, Mohammed Muhammadu (20), a Sokoto State indigene who shot at the police, was arrested, while others escaped with gunshot wounds.
The arrested suspect, who also received gunshot on the leg, and from whom a single barrel gun and three live cartridges were recovered, was said to have pointed at three additional suspects arrested by the police, as members of the kidnap gang.
The three other suspects, identified as Sule Sule, Musa Nuhu and Bashiru Aliu, were also confirmed by the victims as being part of their captors, but vehemently denied their involvement.
The case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Osogbo, for further investigations.
