BY ABIODUN NEJO
Police in Ekiti State have arrested the leader of Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Ekiti Chapter, Mr. Femi Ogunleye, for allegedly arresting and torturing a man identified simply as Oke to death.
Ogunleye, 43, fondly called Akilapa by admirers, was nabbed on Monday during a raid on his hideout just as he was preparing to bury the victim’s remains.
According to police investigation, Ogunleye and six others had accosted the victim at the Post office area in Ado Ekiti on July 29 and took him to Ogunleye’s house where he was allegedly tortured to death.
Police named Ogunleye’s accomplices as: Simon Oluwaghohunmi (35), Muhammadu Saradeen (36), Ojo Muri (30), Peace Okon (44), Sola Sunday (20), and Ogunleye Onaopemipo (20).
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ekiti Command, ASP Caleb Ikechukwu, said the suspected gang members were also charged for cultism and unlawful arrest of innocent Nigerians.
Ikechukwu said the victim was unlawfully arrested on July 29 and
operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), who got wind of the incident, stormed Ogunleye’s house located on Omisanjana Road in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, where the dead body and a tomb that had been dug for its interment within the premises of the building were discovered.
The PPRO said: “Upon further investigation, particularly when the operatives of the SARS stormed Ogunleye’s hideout, the suspects were found involving in unlawful arrest and torture of one Oke, whose surname and address are yet to be known which resulted to his death at the suspects’ hideout located at Omisanjana area of Ado Ekiti.”
According to Ikechukwu, the criminal gang had been terrorizing Ado Ekiti and its environs in cult-related activities and other crimes in recent times.
For instance, the police spokesperson said that the suspect had earlier been involved in shooting incident where one Adebayo Ayomide and a yet-to-be identified victim were shot and are now receiving medical treatments at EKSUTH.
The police spokesman also revealed that security agents recovered. from the house, one Pump Action Gun with Breech Number 000574 loaded with seven live cartridges, police belt, three cutlasses, one long stick, one sword, three battle axes, one iron rod carved like a local gun, Ifa Divination tool, and a mini laptop.
Ikechukwu said the victim’s body had been deposited at the morgue of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital for autopsy while
investigation into the case continues.