A suspected kidnap kingpin who allegedly masterminded the killings of two traditional rulers in Ekiti State, last week Monday has been reportedly arrested by the police from Kwara state command
Elesun of Esun-Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsakin, the Olumojo of Imojo Ekiti, Oba Samuel Olatunde Olusola were ambushed and killed by gun-wielding bandits while returning from a security meeting.
The suspect whose name was given as Pa Olowofela, an indigene of Igbara-Odo Ekiti, Ekiti West local government was said to be the leader of the kidnap syndicate terrorising Oke-Ako/Irele-Ekiti in Ajoni Local Council Development Area in Ekiti State and some parts of Kwara State.
Olowofela was also allegedly indicted in the killing of Olukoro of Ikoro, Kwara State, Oba Olusegun Aremu-Cole
He was said to have been arrested in his house at about 2:am in Igbara-Odo and whisked away to Ijowa an agrarian community in Etan, Ekiti local government area of Kwara State,
The development is coming two days after the arrest of Alhaji Baboga, one of the suspected kidnappers responsible for the killing of the two Ekiti traditional rulers.
Olowofela, an Octogenarian, is based in Ijowa, Kwara State, with a chain of business enterprises cutting across Ekiti and Kwara States, including a Sawmill in Irele-Ekiti the axis where their operations are most pronounced
The Chairman Ajoni LCDA, Ekiti State, Mr Michael Ogungbemi, was said to have confirmed that the suspect was arrested by a combined team of security apparatus from Kwara State, who stormed, Igbara-Odo Ekiti, to effect his arrest and whisked away to Kwara State
A source was alleged to have said, “It was joy mixed with shock when Olowofela was brought to Ijowa by the detached team in cuffs as villagers expressed surprise that he could be linked with the dreaded activities that have formed the nightmare of the people over time”.
It was gathered that Olowofela and his gang are responsible for the recent killings of the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsakin, the Olumojo of Imojo Ekiti, Oba Samuel Olatunde Olusola and the Olukoro of Ikoro, Kwara State, Oba Olusegun Aremu-Cole.
Fielding question from newsmen during a press conference, on the arrest of Olowofela, the new Police Commissioner in Ekiti State, Mr Adeniran Akinwale, said he cannot confirm any arrest for now.
Efforts to reach the Chairman of Ajoni LCDA to confirm the development proved abortive as several calls to his phone rang through.