Date: 2018-06-27

Independent Newspapers Nigeria Police in Kwara state on Tuesday paraded 12 suspected criminals arrested over cases of murder, armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms.

The police said the crimes were committed at a different time in the last six weeks in different parts of the state and that they involved 10 murder cases and armed robbery.

The state police commissioner, Aminu Saleh who paraded the suspects at the Police Headquarters in Ilorin said they were arrested within the last six weeks.

The police boss lamented the rising involvement of teenage youths in illicit drug use, unprovoked attacks, cultism and armed robbery in the state.

He said that the magnitude of the drug problems among teenagers and some irresponsible adults in the state is huge while noting that consequences had usually been cultism and armed robbery cases, among others.

Saleh who said that criminal activities in the state cut across all demographics explained that each district has its own peculiar crime type.

"Current crime statistics in the state indicates that homicide cases in prevalent in Kwara North, especially among the Fulani youths, while illicit drug and other substance abuse, cultism and unprovoked attacks are synonymous with Ilorin metropolis, just as farmers/herdsmen conflict is witnessed more in the Kwara South district of the state, "he stated.

The police boss enjoined community leaders in the areas to do more at sensitizing their people against criminal activities and synergize with police to come up with workable strategies to address their peculiar challenges.

He also advised parents to monitor activities of their children to ensure they do not take to crime.

He said that the command was ready to partner with individuals, groups and relevant agencies to provide adequate security for every citizen in the state.

Saleh who gave an example of lawlessness that resulted in gruesome murder, said that the murder case was reported in Gwanara police station on June 14, 2018 by one Musa Meisa, the magaji of Bukuno Fulani camp against one Yale Mohammed of Bwen camp in the same Gwanara, who allegedly killed one Umoru Kinah, a Fulani by inflicting a deep machete cut on his neck over a misunderstanding.

He said that six of the 10 armed robbery cases had been successfully busted and explained that a member of a five-man armed robbery gang, Adekanola Adebayo was arrested for attacking Oluwasheun Ishola of Gbegede area of Amayo carting away Toyota matrix, one plasma TV, jewellery, one Samsung C7 phone, and one iPhone.

The police boss said that three members of an armed gang were arrested at old Kara Kulende Ilorin on May 17, 2018, while Muslim faithful were preparing to start last Ramadan fast.

He said that the hoodlums at about 12:20 am robbed one Michael Oyindamola and three of her roommates of items such as three Nokia phones, one generator, two wrist watches, one LG phone, one iPhone and a cash sum of N65,000.

Item recovered from the hoodlums include one UTC axe and cutlass, one jackknife and dagger knife, one pocket knife, a toy gun and black face cap, police command said, adding that the suspects would be charged to court.