….As Okotie seeks FG assent on PCN bill
- By Demola Atobaba, Ado-Ekiti
Operatives of the Peace Corps Nigeria (PCN), Ekiti State Command has again apprehended another suspected armed robber who specializes in house burgling in the state. He was allegedly terrorizing Irona, Ajilosun, Moferere, Agric Olope Market and Federal Housing Estate in the axis, all in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
The suspect named Olasunkanmi Oluyemi, 36-year-old who is a native of Egetun street, Itapa-Ekiti in Ekiti State, is a resident of Ajibade Lane near Okeyinmin area of Ado-Ekiti.
Olasunkanmi who is serial burglar was caught in the act as a result of hints by the officers of the Peace Corps of Nigeria who have been monitoring when noticed the suspect climbed the roof of one of the abandoned Federal Housing Estate building projects embarked on by both state and federal governments and started removing the iron sheets in an attempt to resell to those who buy stolen properties.
After thorough interrogation, Olasunkanmi who is mechanic by profession confessed to Peace Corps officials that he specialized in stealing, after his daily Okada riding business and that he had made several attempts to cart away electrical wires cable, engine batteries and other valuables especially in some of the uncomplicated buildings in Ado-Ekiti and it’s environ.
He said, his wife who had a set of twins for him had left him long ago due to poverty and that one out of the two children died some years later, left behind one child.
The suspect disclosed that it is true he stoled the roofing sheets due to poverty, mainly to take care of his only son and the aged-mother who lives with him here in Ado-Ekiti.
Findings by TopNews revealed that Olasunkanmi and his gang was said to have been instrumental to many burgled incidents in the area and thereby been in possession of some illegal properties which had fuelled suspicion that the accused may have been an agents to those who buying stolen goods in Ado-Ekiti.
But he was eventually met his waterloo with the alleged of been the same person who burgled many houses and carted away generating sets, batteries, refrigerators, air conditioners, to mention but a few.
Confirming the incident in an exclusive interview with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, the Commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Ekiti State Command, Patriot Mathew Okotie alleged that the suspect have been terrorizing Ado-Ekiti metropolis for a while before he was caught by officials of the Corps of his command.
According to him, the accused was said to have successfully removed the roofing sheets, burgled many houses in the axis and it’s environ and sell same to those who specialized in buying stolen goods in Ado-Ekiti before luck ran against them.
He said, “Olasunkanmi was arrested as a result of the strategies that our Command put in place. We work on some useful hints about their activities which has to do with stolen of people’s properties and we laid an ambush for them and we eventually got them arrested. This was part of our neighborhood plans and various efforts by the Corps to apprehend criminals and to also ensure the security of lives and properties of Ekiti people are secured”.
He said they were more than that in numbers who are operating in the community, but some of them escaped while investigation is still on to apprehend the buyers, adding that people should say something anytime they see something and that landlords should stop harbouring criminals in their houses.
Okotie, use the opportunity to appeal to the Federal Government for assent to the bill establishing Peace Corps and that the Ekiti State government as well to do something helpful for PCN without delay so as to to strengthen them in their neighborhood assignments.
He further hinted that the suspects has been handed over to the security agents at Agric Olope Police station for further investigation and subsequent prosecution.
