KWARA RITUALIST DETAINED AFTER ATTEMPTING TO MURDER CHILDREN

A 46-year-old ritualist was detained by the Kwara State Police Command in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State when he was trying to kill a 10-year-old child who was selling pepper.

Tuesday, July 2, 2024, saw the arrest of the culprit, named Isiaka Adeniyi, in the Oke-Foma neighbourhood of the state's Ilorin West Local Government Area.

The suspect reportedly tricked the hawker (name withheld) into going into a room with the intention of trying to buy pepper from him, according to the incident, which was verified by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Ejire-Adeyemi Toun, in a statement on Sunday."On July 2, 2024, at approximately 1800 hours, a report was received from Onidoko Police Post indicating that at approximately 1730 hours, an incident occurred in the Abab Oke-Foma area of Ilorin," according to information obtained from the C Division police. The culprit, identified as 46-year-old Isiaka Adeniyi from Ifedapo Community, Oke-Foma region, Ilorin, lured the 10-year-old youngster (name withheld) who was peddling peppers into a room "."The victim was allegedly tricked into buying pepper by the suspect, who then covered his face with a cloth and tried to stab him to death."

"Vigilant community members responded quickly, which led to the suspect's capture and stationing. The State Criminal Investigation Department has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive and covert investigation into the matter after the preliminary investigation was completed, according to the PPRO.CP Victor Olaiya, the Commissioner of Police for Kwara State, praised the community members' proactive actions in capturing the culprit and making sure that justice was carried out in this terrible case."We ask the public to maintain their composure while we carry out our investigation, and we reassure them that the police will stop at nothing to guarantee the safety and security of every Kwara State resident."In the meantime, the Kwara State Police Command announced that, as of Sunday, July 7, and beyond, it had sent tactical units for the state's public safety.

In a separate statement, the state Police Command stated that it had taken this measure in response to previous incidents on July 7 that involved violence and harm caused by cult-related activities in the local community. The command declared that "it has implemented comprehensive strategies to prevent any recurrence of such activities" in addition to reassuring the state's residents of their safety."We have increased the visibility of visible policing in all major areas of the state and intensified our surveillance measures to ensure the safety of our community." In order to identify and discourage any suspicious activity, our officers will be performing extensive patrols and security checks today, July 7, tomorrow (Monday), and going forward.

"To ensure a prompt and efficient reaction to security concerns, we have deployed additional resources, including intelligence units and tactical teams. Maintaining public order and protecting everyone's lives and property are the goals of these initiatives. To maintain peace and security in the community, he urged all residents to be alert and report any suspicious activity or person to the closest police station or by calling their emergency hotlines, 0812 527 5046 or 0703 206 9456. He also stressed the importance of citizen cooperation in this regard.