The police in Oyo State yesterday said 168 suspects have been arrested in the first phase of the “ember months” offensive on criminals.
Parading 64 of them, Commissioner of Police Samuel Adegnuyi said the command employed intensive stop-and-search, purposeful and aggressive vehicle patrol, sustained intelligence-led raids and crackdown on motorcyclists carrying more than one passenger.
Adegbuyi added that 104 were still undergoing interrogation.
Among the 64 paraded, Adegbuyi said 53 were arrested for robbery, two for murder, three for rituals and unlawful possession of human skulls, three for fraud and unlawful possession of fake currency, two for human trafficking and child labour and one for impersonation.
Recovered from the suspects were 14 firearms, 12 ammunition and cartridges, $75,100, seven vehicles, seven knives, a gas cylinder, a sledge hammar, a big wrench, a mask, assorted cell phones and ATM cards.
Others are a master key, vehicle particulars, cutlasses, a dagger, fake police identity card, police kits, SIM cards, weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, charms, laptop, and N20,000.
The three suspects arrested with human skulls are Ramoni Akeem (41), Azeez Ojelade (36) and Salimon Salami (40). They were arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the state command at alleged hideouts in Ogbomoso on October 10.