The Osun State Police Command has arrested one Adeyemi Adijat and four other males for the alleged murder of Adewale Temitope.
The Police Command made this known during a suspect parade in Osogbo on Thursday.
According to a statement made available to newsmen, Adeyemi Temitope was beaten to death when he and an accomplice attempted to steal a bottle of Action Bitter gin, one pack of Benson and Hedges cigarettes and three bottles of Maltina Maltina on Wednesday, 6 November 2024, at about 10:45pm.
The arrested suspects who are all males, according to the spokesperson of the Command, Opalola Yemisi, are 58-year-old Adeyemi Adijat, 23-year-old Ogunsola Roqeeb, 36-year-old Akeem Akintola, 38-year-old Lamidi Abass and 22-year-old Ibrahim Quadri.
Exhibits recovered from the suspects are; one bottle of Action Bitter gin, one pack of Benson and Hedges cigarettes, three bottles of Maltina and weeds suspected to be Cannabis Sativa.
The statement reads, “On 6/11/2024 at about 10:45pm, one Ogunsola Roqeeb ‘m’ and Adewale Temitope ‘m’ now late went to the shop of Adeyemi Adijat ‘f’ of Asumon junction, Ede and stole one bottle of Action Bitter gin, one pack of Benson cigarettes and three bottles of Maltina.
“The Adeyemi Adijat raised alarm and also called some hoodlums around the Area; the hoodlums came out in large numbers and beat Adewale Temitope to death.
“Meanwhile, five suspects have been apprehended by men of special Anti-cultism squad Osun for further investigation. Suspects will be charged to court after the completion of investigation.”
Also paraded by the command were, 32-year-old Saheed Bakare aka Ewe for alleged conspiracy, armed robbery, murder, membership of an unlawful society and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms.
Opalola said, “Sequel to the arrest and prosecution of the notorious cult leader Owoeye Olabode a.k.a. “Bode Itaapa”, most members of the confraternity relocated from Iwara to Igangan, where they have been terrorising residents in that area.
“Consequently, on the 11/11/2024 at about 2330hrs, upon receiving credible intelligence, the operatives of the Anti-kidnapping squad swung into action and combed the entire community where the suspect Bakare Saheed ‘m’ was arrested while he was unlawfully cutting down commercial trees around Igangan forest without the consent of the innocent owners.
“One of the victims stated that “Ewe” came to his farm along with other cultists fully armed with dangerous weapons, beat him up mercilessly, while threatening to shoot him with a gun and ordered him to leave his farm. He had no choice due to his safety but to leave the farm or be killed.
“During the interrogation, the suspect confessed to the killing of one late Tafa, a member of Eiye Confraternity sometime in the year 2020, under the instruction of Bode Owoeye a.k.a. “Bode Itaapa”. He confessed that Bode Owoeye gave him the barrel gun which he used to perpetrate the act and collected it from him after the operation.
“He stated that in 2014, he was initiated into Aye by one Solo Iwara, Bode Itaapa, Bisi Iwara and Allen J. (now late).
“He further claimed that all their weapons were in the custody of one Akanni, who is still at large.”
26 years old Oladele Sunday aka Okoro was also arrested for the unlawful membership of society and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms.
In his possession were two locally made single-barrel pistols.
The statement said, “The determination of the Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammed Umar to rid Osun State of the activities of cultists since taking over the command has been a fight of “No retreat, no surrender”. As a result of these efforts, most cultists had fled the State; some had been arrested and prosecuted.
“Consequently, after the gruesome killing of three innocent victims by one Awe Mayowa a.k.a. “Bishop Apase” and his gang over a drug deal around Ilesa sometime in September 2024, the operatives of the Anti-kidnapping Squad owing to credible intelligence swung into action and raided several black spots and in the process, arrested one Oladele Sunday ‘m’ while two locally made single barrel pistols were recovered in his possession.
“Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the said Oladele Sunday ‘m’ a.k.a. Okoro previously belonged to the cult gang under one Rasheed a.k.a. “Oko-Ilu” who was terrorizing Ede town and its environs.
“Consequent upon the arrest and prosecution of Rasheed a.k.a. “Oko-Ilu”, Okoro who fled Ede town subsequently relocated to Ilesha and regrouped with another deadly Eiye cult group headed by one Awe Mayowa a.k.a. “Bishop Apase”.
Opalola who said intelligence is still ongoing to arrest some of the suspects for prosecution, added that they will be prosecuted after the completion of the investigation.
