Oyo armed robbers kill father, rape daughters

A syndicate that murdered a middle-aged man named Makanjuola Ogedengbe and sexually assaulted his two daughters in the village of Apaatuku/Onireke in the Lagelu Local Government area of the state was among the 21 suspected armed robbers paraded by the Oyo State Police Command on Friday.

The victims were young children, 14 and 10, respectively.

The suspects were displayed at the command’s headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, according to Adewale Osifeso, Public Relations Officer for the Oyo State Police, who claimed that they were providing the police with useful information.

Osifeso claimed that on Sunday, May 14, 2023, at around 2:00 am, the suspects—who were carrying lethal weapons—invaded the neighbourhood, robbing locals of their valuables while shooting the deceased at close range.

According to him, a group of armed robbers entered the Apaatuku/Onireke at Akobo area of Ibadan on May 14, 2023, at around 4:00 a.m., and took valuables from the locals. One Makanjuola Ogedengbe was killed by the attackers, who also sexually assaulted his two daughters, who were 14 and 10, at the time.

“For a covert investigation, the case was given to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku. Abiodun Olalekan, 32, Ibrahim Rasaq, 31, and Abolade Morenikeji, 34, were previously detained in connection with the armed robbery at Sawia Estate in Ogbere, Ibadan, which was reported on April 16, 2023. It was later discovered that these men belonged to the same gang that broke into the Apaatuku/Onireke community.

“Abolade Morenikeji’m’ and one Sodiq’m’ are accused of raping the two daughters of the deceased, respectively. The operation resulted in the death of the aforementioned Sodiq, who was the group’s alleged leader. The night guard for the neighbourhood was also shot by the assailants and is currently receiving medical attention.

“One Adebayo Salami’m’, a major receiver/informant of the group and landlord at Ajara Olohunda, Akobo in Ibadan, was detained in connection with the case on June 16, 2023, at around 03300 hours.

He admitted, “during questioning, that he had invited the group for the robbery operation at the Apaatuku area where one Makanjuola Ogedengbe’m’ was killed and his two daughters, aged 14 and 10, were deflowered by the robbery gang during the operation.”

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Additional suspects for crimes like attempted murder, armed robbery, unlawful firearm possession, and possession of what is thought to be Indian hemp were also paraded by the police.