Police arrest three Abeokuta phone-market robbers 

By Kolawole Olayinka, Abeokuta

Three members of a robbery syndicate who invaded Abeokuta phone market known as Tarmac on the 12th of April have been arrested by the police.

The suspects, Ajayi Kayode, Habeeb Idowu and Temitayo Oresanya were apprehended in the Abule Ake area of Kemta.

According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, the arrest was made following a tip-off received by policemen attached to the Kemta Divisional Headquarters.

Oyeyemi said the DPO Kemta Division, CSP Adeniyi Adekunle, mobilized his men and moved to the scene where the three suspects were apprehended.

He added that two of the suspects have confessed their participation in the robbery incident, while the third, Oresanya, affirmed to be a member of the same cult group with them, claimed that he did not participate in the robbery.

“The suspects, Ajayi Kayode, Habeeb Idowu and Temitayo Oresanya were arrested, following information received by policemen attached to Kemta Divisional Headquarters that the suspects have been hibernating at Abule Ake area of Kemta for quite some time now to evade Police arrest.

“Upon the information, the DPO Kemta Division, CSP Adeniyi Adekunle, mobilized his men and moved to the scene where the three suspects were apprehended.

“Two of the suspects have confessed their participation in the robbery incident, while the third one Temitayo Oresanya, though affirmed to be a member of the same cult group with them, claimed that he didn’t participate in the robbery.

“He stated further that Ajayi Kayode and Habeeb Idowu came to his house at Abule Ake to hide from the police after their robbery escapade.

“The Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Oladimeji, commended members of the public for their cooperation in giving useful information to the police.

“Oladimeji has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to State Criminal Investigation Department for discreet investigation.

“He also directed that the remaining members of the gang must be hunted for and brought to justice,” the statement said.

It would recalled that on the 22nd of April, 2023, there was chaos when a group of armed men, believed to be robbers, attacked the phone market in Abeokuta, during which one trader was killed.

The gang, consisting of eight men, targeted the market where phones and accessories were sold and repaired in the Oke-Ilewo area of the state capital.

The robbers fired gunshots, causing people to flee in panic during the daytime.

However, the traders later gathered courage, pursued the attackers, and managed to apprehend one of them.