Investigation revealed that the command was under intense pressure from "the powers that be" to release the suspect described as "an APC thug"
The victims of the sporadic shootings by a notorious gang leader, Babatunde Adeoye, in Idanre town, Ondo State, have cried out for justice and called for the adequate prosecution of the suspect.
SaharaReporters learnt that Adeoye, also known as Para, who was responsible for the shootings of the four persons on August 16, at a pharmaceutical shop in Idanre, could be released by the Nigerian police going by pressure from the ruling All Progressives Congress.
One of the victims in Idanre community, 27-year-old Tolulope Alalabiaye, called for the diligent prosecution of Para and decried the illegal interference of the APC.
SaharaReporters learnt that the police command in Idanre already handed over the suspect to the state command headquarters in Akure.
However, investigation revealed that the command was under intense pressure from "the powers that be" to release the suspect described as "an APC thug" secretly.
“This may be responsible for why the suspect has not been arraigned in spite of the overwhelming evidence and the confession of the suspect himself that he actually committed the crime,” a source said.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Oyeyemi Oyediran who had earlier paraded the suspect said that “On the 16th August, 2022, a complainant reported that a group of boys numbering about five (5) led by one ‘Para’ shot and robbed him of his bag containing a large sum of money (amount unknown).
“The bullet hit Sakari Yakubu ‘M’ at the back, Basiru Idris ‘M’ on his hand and Akinbadewa Omolayo ‘F' on her leg.”
Meanwhile, the police have refused or delayed the arraignment of the suspects.
The CP affirmed the arrest of the gang leader, Babatunde Adeoye, (AKA Para) and noted that efforts were on to apprehend other members of the gang.
The State General Hospital in Idanre also attested to admitting and treating one of the victims in a memo signed by the Medical Director, Dr A. Sugbe.
The memo disclosed that the victim was rushed to the hospital centre by the parents and police officers with his thigh bleeding from the gunshots inflicted by the gang of armed persons.
The mother of the victim, Mrs Tola Aladenola while in the hospital with her son lamented and expressed her sadness, saying that she had spent her fortune treating her son and nobody to the rescue.
“The people of Idanre local government now live in palpable fear of the attack by members of this gang terrorising the hitherto peaceful town,” a resident said.
“In 2020, a young man, Taye Okafor was shot dead by unknown assailants. Up till this moment, no arrest has been made or any serious attempt to apprehend the people behind his gruesome murder.”