13 ex-cons form criminal gang after ENDSARS

A gang of criminals arrested in Ekiti have confessed they cashed in on the absence of SARS to launch their criminalities in the state.

They made thei confession as the state Police Commissioner, Tunde Mobayo, paraded them at the police headquarters in Ado Ekiti.

Mobayo, who was represented by the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, said the suspects were arrested for alleged conspiracy, armed robbery, rape, murder and unlawful possession of firearms.

According to the PPRO, the suspects confessed they started operations after the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery, SARS, in October 2020.

“The suspects confessed that they robbed innocent citizens of Ekiti State in about 96 houses within Ado-Ekiti and its environs such as Embassy Inland, Ajebamidele, Niran students hostel along Poly Road, where they raped two female students in 2021. Other places include, Agogo community in Ilupeju Avenue, where they killed one Joseph Blessing, a night guard and Ilawe-Ekiti. They also confessed to have killed one Apata Olabode, a POS operator in December 2021 in the same area.

‘The suspects also raped a lady at Ajebamidele, Ado-Ekiti in January 2022. They also attacked residents of Irewolede Estate along Ilawe road as well as Oke Ureje quarters, Ado-Ekiti in January 2022.”

Abutu said one Joke Oladunjoye, a concubine of one of the suspects, Aderopo Tope, popularly known as Tope Pupa, was also arrested following investigation that she keeps her lover’s gun before and after any operation.

All the arrested suspects are ex-convicts who had served different jail terms in the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State and Olokuta Correctional Centre, Akure, Ondo State.