By Adeola Badru, IBADAN
The Oyo State Police Command has paraded several suspects arrested in connection with three separate criminal cases, including the alleged murder of a family of six at Oloba Village in Lagelu Local Government Area of the state.
The command said the suspects allegedly attacked the family over a damaged mobile phone belonging to one of them.
The other cases involved an alleged armed robbery at Wofun Olodo, Ibadan, during which a 44-year-old woman, Mrs Wahab Rukayat, was reportedly killed, as well as the arrest of a suspected unqualified medical practitioner accused of posing as a doctor.
The suspects were paraded at the Police Command Headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, where the command provided details of the separate investigations and displayed some of the items allegedly recovered.
In the Lagelu case, police identified the three suspects arrested over the alleged murder as Hammed Akinbami, Ojo Akinbami and Padonu Edward.
According to the command, the suspects allegedly invaded the residence of Ifeanyi Chukwu, his wife and their four children at Oloba Village, armed with a locally made Dane gun, two cutlasses and a wooden club.
Police said the suspects allegedly attacked the family in retaliation for damage to a mobile phone belonging to one of them.
The command alleged that the suspects robbed the family of N200,000, a motorcycle, a Doma machine with chainsaw and a spraying machine before using a wooden club to kill four members of the family.
It further alleged that the two children who survived the initial attack were taken to the Osun River, where their hands and legs were tied before they were thrown into the river.
The police said the remains of the woman had been recovered from the river, while efforts were ongoing to recover the remains of the other members of the family.
The command said the suspects were being investigated to establish their individual roles in the alleged attack and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Three arrested over robbery
In a separate case, police paraded three suspected members of an armed robbery gang identified as Oluwatobi Akinrinola, Mathew Okunola and Ibrahim Rabiu.
The suspects were arrested over an alleged robbery operation at Wofun Olodo, Ibadan, during which 44-year-old Rukayat was reportedly killed.
The command said the suspects allegedly attacked their victims and stole mobile phones, wristwatches, $400 and other valuables estimated at N3.493 million.
Police said an iPhone 7 Plus belonging to one of the victims was recovered from the suspects, while surviving victims reportedly identified them during an identification parade.
Some of the victims who were invited to the command headquarters to identify the suspects alleged that they were subjected to severe torture during the attacks and that property worth millions of naira was stolen.
The police said investigation was ongoing to determine the extent of the suspects’ alleged involvement in the robbery and killing, as well as establish whether other members of the gang were still at large.
Suspected fake doctor arrested
In the third case, the command paraded Benjamin Adeniyi, described as an auxiliary nurse, for allegedly practising medicine as a doctor without the requisite qualifications and professional training.
During an interview, Adeniyi reportedly admitted to the police that he had been practising as a medical doctor since 2022 despite lacking the required qualifications.
The police also accused him of operating two hospitals under the name LIFE IS GOOD, with branches in the Olodo and Academy areas of Ibadan, where he allegedly provided medical services, including fertility treatment.
The command said investigation was aimed at determining the extent of his activities and identifying patients who may have been exposed to risks as a result of the alleged illegal practice.
Reacting to the cases, the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said investigations into the three incidents were ongoing.
Ayanlade said the command was intensifying efforts to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incidents and apprehend other persons who might have been connected with the alleged crimes.
He added that the police would continue with the investigations and ensure that anyone found culpable was brought to justice.
