Osun State Police Command says its operatives have arrested three suspects – Olabode Owoeye, aka (Bode Itaapa) 32; Mukaila Lateef, 45, and David Samuel, 26 in connection with an armed robbery, and murder case
Parading the suspects at the Osun State Police headquarters, the Command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, said the suspects were involved in the abduction and killing of two individuals, Kelechi Agha and Tega Robinson, who were reported missing by their families on February 8, 2024.
Opalola said that their investigation led to the recovery of several exhibits, including a locally made barreta pistol, a single barrel gun, a pump action gun, and a black unregistered Highlander Jeep.
She said that during the interrogation, Olabode Owoeye confessed to being a member of the Aye confraternity and implicated other members of the group in the crime.
She also revealed that the group was responsible for the attack on a political candidate, Honourable Ayodeji Olaolu, during the 2023 election.
She said, “On February 9, 2024, at about 1820 hrs, the complainants reported at Iperindo Police Station that, on February 8, 2024, their children Kelechi Agha and Tega Robinson left homes to their mining sites, and they did not return before the case was transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad for discreet investigation.
“Credible intelligence revealed that, members of the Aye confraternity were sighted freely moving around with dangerous weapons on that day, which led the detectives to search the hideouts of the cultists, where one locally barretta pistol and a black mask were found and registered as exhibits.
“The detectives on the rescue mission later apprehended one Bode Owoeye, a.k.a. “Bode Itaapa” who was identified as a member of Aye Confraternity who is on a wanted-list in Osun State. During the interrogation, he confessed that, other members of his Aye confraternity were responsible for the abduction and killing of the victims inside the bush.
“He also admitted that his group was the political thugs working for one Honourable Sanya Omirin, who usually gives them instructions through another wanted cultist, Adefioye Solomon, a.k.a. Solo Iwara, who is responsible for so many killings within the Ilesha axis.
“Also, he confessed that they attacked one Honourable Ayodeji Olaolu, the APC candidate, during the election into the House of Representatives in 2023, at the party secretariat and shot him on him head and chest.
“He further revealed that, the confraternity had over 30 pump action rifles which were mostly procured before the 2023 election. Subsequently, the detectives arrested one Samuel David who was mentioned to be a member of Aye confraternity involved in the killing of one Ibrahin Taiwo a.k.a. Omo-Alhaja.
“During the investigations, the suspect mentioned his five fellow hit-men under Kehinde Itaapa who stormed the venue of the PDP rally on the 21/02/2023 and killed the deceased. In the course of the investigation, one of the complainants came to report that, she was the mother of late Taiwo Adebiyi a.k.a. “Omo-Alhaja” and alleged one Shittu a.k.a. “Araba” to be the killer of his son.
“Samuel David later took the detectives to Oke-Eta village where he kept one pump action gun, given to him by Bode Owoeye to perpetrate the crime and it was recovered as an exhibit. Olabode Owoeye stated further that he bought the gun from Mukaila Lateef who is his arm dealer who illegally sold some guns to him.
The police are still searching for fleeing members of the group and have recovered several weapons, including pump action rifles. The suspects will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.
