Pastor, five robbers arrested in Ekiti

A 38-year-old Cleric with the Way of Salvation Ministries, Ado Ekiti, Pastor Sunday Sulaimon, was yesterday paraded along five other armed robbers at the Ekiti State Police Command Headquarters for allegedly keeping the arms for the bandits.

The other armed robbery suspects; Okoromadu Kingsley, 36; Eze Steven Okwudili , 30; Sunkanmi Alomaja, 28; Ojo Gboyega, 25 and Fatunroti Toyin, 25, who were specialists in snatching motorbikes and cars, were arrested after allegedly carrying out an operation at the Ori Apata area of the capital city.

The hoodlums had, during the operation, made away with household items, including a laptop, cell phones and N210, 000 cash after tying up their victims, locking them up in the toilet and ransacking the entire house.

The pastor, however, told journalists that he was just living in the same compound with the suspects, adding that he never knew they were armed robbers.

His denial was against the backdrop of the insistence by Okwudili that the pastor was aware of their operations and had allegedly benefitted from their loots many times as a mark of appreciation.

The police also paraded 18-year-old Arowolo Opeyemi and one Olajide Kehinde, 18, among the three-man gang that raped a 38-year-old woman at the Dallimore area of Ado Ekiti on November 21.

The woman, whose car fuel got exhausted at about 10.30pm that day, was allegedly accosted by the trio, who claimed they were members of a vigilante group.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Victor Babayemi, the suspects ‘arrested’ and detained the victim in an uncompleted building where she was later raped by the three men, who threatened her with dane guns.

Babayemi said efforts were on to arrest a fleeing member of the gang while the two arrested would be charged to court soon.

Two men, 20-yearold Olaiya Adeniyi and 19-year-old Akingbade Asimiyu, were also paraded for alleged armed robbery at the Corpers’ Lodge, Ipole-Iloro Ekiti at about 3.00am on November 3, where they made away with the corps members’ valuables, including cash and cell phones in addition to inflicting varying degree of injuries on them.

The police spokesman, who said the police were on the trail of the third suspect, said justice would take its course as he assured that “Ekiti is a safe place to live and work.”