Kwara Police parade six suspects over homicide and related offenses

The Kwara State Police Command has paraded six individuals, including five males and one female, for alleged involvement in crimes related to culpable homicide, conspiracy, public disturbance, and mischief.

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday evening, the State Commissioner of Police, Victor Olaiya, revealed that three of the suspects—Peter Samuel, Jeremiah Tiozinda, and Sunday Agbenke—were apprehended in connection with the gruesome murder of 34-year-old Rafiu Akao. The crime occurred on Monday, November 4, 2024, in the Asunlere community of Oke Oyi, Ilorin.

According to Olaiya, residents reported discovering a headless body near a stream around 9:00 p.m. on the day of the incident.

“Upon receiving the report, detectives were immediately dispatched to the scene. Photographs revealed severe violence around the neck, indicating that the victim’s head had been severed,” the commissioner explained.

The body was evacuated to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital morgue for an autopsy. During the investigation, police recovered an Itel Android phone believed to belong to one of the attackers and a motorcycle identified as the victim’s property.

Olaiya added that detectives arrested the three suspects on Wednesday, November 6, after an extensive manhunt. The suspects reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation and disclosed that they had disposed of the victim’s severed head in a nearby river. Efforts to recover the head are ongoing, and the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and subsequent arraignment in court.

In a related development, the Commissioner of Police also paraded two additional suspects, 22-year-old Yusuf Abdulkareem and 40-year-old Jaiyeola Fatai. They were accused of attacking an innocent farmer wrongly suspected of involvement in the murder.

Olaiya recounted, “An innocent farmer was mistakenly pursued by villagers and motorcycle operators (Okada riders) who suspected him of the crime. He sought refuge at the Oke Oyi Police Division, but his vehicle, which was lawfully parked, was stoned and severely damaged by Abdulkareem, Fatai, and others now at large.”

Both suspects have been charged with conspiracy, disturbing public peace, causing grievous hurt, and mischief. They will be arraigned in court soon.

The Police Commissioner emphasized that the farmer had no connection to the homicide, urging the public to avoid taking the law into their hands or spreading unverified information.

“Vigilantism and public disorder will not be tolerated. Law enforcement will act decisively against individuals or groups engaging in such actions,” Olaiya warned.

He reiterated the command’s commitment to pursuing justice for the victim and maintaining public peace, urging residents to cooperate with the police and rely on verified information.