Date: 2018-07-11

Police arrest filling station robbers in Kwara The Kwara State Police Command, in conjunction with the IGP's Intelligence Response Team (IRT), has arrested a gang of four armed robbers that specialised in attacking petrol filling stations in Kwara State and its environs.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, yesterday, the state Commissioner of Police, Aminu Pai Saleh, said leader of the gang, one James Obaje, 34, a native of Dekina in Dekina LGA of Kogi State confessed to being a trainee and lieutenant of one Zakari Ya’u, an alleged political thug in Kogi State.

The leader of the gang, in a interview with journalists, also said that three AK 47 rifles, one K2 rifle and one Pump Action rifle found on them were given to him by the campaign team of the late APC governorship candidate in Kogi state, Alhaji Abubakar Audu, during electioneering.

The CP listed other members of the gang to include Nelson Yakubu, 31; Ibrahim Mutari, 33 and Gboyega Olaoye, 35. He added that all the suspects are from Kogi State, but resident in Ilorin except Olaoye who is from Ekiti LGA of Kwara State.

"Sequel to reports received from some fueling stations within Ilorin metro and its suburbs of armed robbery attacks, the IGP's Intelligence Response Team (IRT) which was detailed to Offa in the wake of Offa armed robbery attack in conjunction with F-SARS Kwara command, acting on very actionable intelligence, arrested one Obaje," he said.

He added that Obaje's confession led to the arrest of other members of his gang that allegedly attacked several fuelling stations in Kaduna, FCT, Kogi and Kwara states.

Saleh added that efforts were still ongoing to arrest the remaining members of the gang, after which he said they would be charged to court.

Also paraded were seven suspected members of a secret cult, known as Aiye Confraternity, including the vice president of the Students Union Government (SUG), among others who were said to be students of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State.