The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Hoodlums

  • Police kill three suspected hoodlums in Rivers

    •100 suspects arrested in one week      •Guns, vehicles, kitchen wares recovered

    The Rivers State Police Command has killed three suspected hoodlums in one week.

    It said over 100 suspected criminals, including kidnappers and robbers were also arrested within the period.

    In a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, police spokesman Ahmed Mohammed, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said the operation took place at Abuloma and Borikiri, both in Port Harcourt Local Government Area; Rumuekini in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and Akpajo, in Eleme Local Government Area between June 19 and 25.

    Mohammed listed the items recovered from them as: AK-47 rifle and magazine, live ammunitions, vehicles and cooking utensils, suspects to have been stolen, among others.

    The spokesman attributed the command’s success at busting crimes to cooperation from the public.

    He said the command was committed to ridding the state of hoodlums and their nefarious activities as long as the public continued to provide useful information.

    Mohammed said: “Our sustained onslaught against violent criminals and recovery of firearms in illegal hands …has continued to yield some significant triumphs. Our vow to dislodge criminals from their havens is not a bluff but a reality that has come to stay until their activities are brought to an end.

    “On June 19, at noon at Abuloma in Port Harcourt, our joint teams of policemen raided a waterfront, which was suspected to be the hideout of a notorious and wanted suspected kidnapper/cultist. Items recovered from the enclave include two AK-47 rifles, five AK-47 magazines, 152 rounds of 7.62 live ammunitions and assorted household items suspected to have been stolen.

    “On June 21, at 5:40am, men of the Anti-Cultism Unit stormed the Rumuekini Forest and arrested 69 suspected cultists/robbers; two of them were fatally wounded. Items recovered from them include two pump action guns, nine live cartridges, a Toyota Camry car and assorted household items suspected to have been stolen.

    “On June 21, at 10:45am at Akpajo Special Check Point in Port Harcourt, a Mazda car with some occupants, who appeared suspicious, refused to stop for a check. The policemen chased the car. When the occupants of the car sensed that our men would catch up with them, they fled, abandoning the vehicle. Items recovered from the car include two AK-47 rifles and 20 rounds of 7.62 live ammunitions.”

    The spokesman added: “On June 22, at 2pm at Borikiri Sand Fill, men of the Anti-Cultism Unit tracked down six suspects who specialised in car snatching. The gang, few days ago, snatched at gun point a Toyota Camry with registration number KFS657CN. The car, with three other suspected stolen vehicles of various models, were recovered from the gang’s hideout.

    “On June 25, at 4:10pm at Ogale-Nchia, the Eleme Anti-Robbery Unit of Eleme Division, which responded to a distress call, engaged suspected robbers in a shootout. One of the two suspected robbers wearing military camouflage trousers, got fatally wounded. Items recovered from them include one pump action gun, one locally-made pistol, 15 live cartridges, one red mask and assorted charms.

    “There are other successes recorded, besides the aforementioned ones. The continued support of the patriotic public, by divulging credible information to the police, is hereby appreciated. We look for more cooperation.”

  • Police chief orders hoodlums’ arrest

    Police chief orders hoodlums’ arrest

    Lagos State Police Commissioner Kayode Aderanti has ordered Area ‘B’ Apapa Commander Nim Anene, an Assistant Commissioner (ACP), to arrest hoodlums who operate during traffic gridlock on Apapa-Oshodi expressway, Mile 2 and Ijora.

    He also urged him to decongest traffic with the new power motorcycles given to the command.

    Commissioning the five motorcycles code-named Police Bravo One to Police Bravo Five yesterday, Aderanti praised Anene’s creative idea in crime fighting.

    This, he said, would go a long way in reducing the menace of hoodlums who take advantage of traffic gridlock to rob motorists.

    “With these power machines, you will chase robbers and make sure you arrest them to face the wrath of the law,” he said.

    Aderanti enjoined other area commanders to emulate Anene.

    “The hoodlums’ menace has come to the level where they should be shown that the command is still in control and no hoodlum should be allowed to disturb the peace of road users in Lagos,” he said.

    Earlier, Anene told Aderanti that the use of motorcycles because imperative when his officers found it difficult to penetrate the traffic to get to where the hoodlums were operating.

    At times, he said, it took hours with vehicles to get to the spot, but with motorcycles, things would be different.

     

     

  • Mark: hoodlums attacked me on way to Buhari’s inauguration

    Mark: hoodlums attacked me on way to Buhari’s inauguration

    •’It’s backward for senators to be elected governors’   •Senate applauds Buhari, Jonathan for peaceful handover

    Senate President David Mark yesterday said he was attacked by hoodlums last Friday on his way to the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Mark said the hoodlums damaged the windscreen of his vehicle. He also condemned senators who vacated their seats for the position of governor.

    He said that after being a senator “we should look up and not look backward. But if some of our colleagues in order to make sacrifice decided to become governors, it should be seen as sacrifice; that is alright.”

    The Senate also congratulated Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and former President Goodluck Jonathan for a successful handover of government.

    This followed a motion by Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba and 107 other Senators entitled “Congratulations to President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and others.”

    Ndoma-Egba, in his lead debate, noted the successful handover of government and the inauguration of Buhari and Osinbajo.

    He also noted the successful inauguration of some National Assembly members as governors.

    He listed the National Assembly members inaugurated as governors to include Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto); Governor Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta State); Senator Benedict Ayade (Cross River State), Senator Bindo Jibrilla (Adamawa), Senator Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).

    Ndoma-Egba said the Senate identified with the Buhari government and the state governments under the leadership of “our colleagues  in the National Assembly in their attempts to actualise the legitimate yearnings of our people for a greater country in all spheres of social-political and economic life.”

    Mark noted that for the first time in the political history of the country, the presidential election result was not contested at the tribunal.

    He added: “It is not just enough to congratulate Buhari, we have to congratulate the former President Jonathan who willingly conceded defeat and followed it up with a phone call. We should congratulate Buhari, former President and every Nigerian.”

  • Hoodlums set Ekiti’s biggest market ablaze

    Hoodlums set Ekiti’s biggest market ablaze

    •Property worth millions of naira destroyed
    •Schools, banks, filling stations shut down operations
    •APC blames violence on Fayose

    In spite of the dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed on Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, by Governor Ayodele Fayose on Thursday to check the violent clash between commercial drivers and Hausa traders, a section of the biggest market in the city was burnt down yesterday.

    Violent clash had erupted between the two groups on Wednesday after a driver’s wife was allegedly robbed by a man suspected to be a member of the Hausa community.

    Tongues are wagging on how hoodlums found their way to Erekesan Market otherwise known as Oja Oba (King’s Market), despite the deployment of regular and riot policemen in the wake of the curfew.

    The latest incident has caused further panic among Ado Ekiti residents while a humanitarian crisis looms with the evacuation of members of the Hausa community in the town to the outskirts of nearby Ikere Ekiti to prevent further attacks on them.

    Many of the traders were woken from their sleep as early as 1.30 am by calls from residents who had got wind of the inferno and alerted them to go and evacuate their shops before the fire would do more damage.

    But some of the traders who got to the scene were said to be frightened by staccato of gunshots fired by armed policemen deployed at the scene.

    Worst-hit by the fire was a section of the market known as Lagos Line, which has the highest concentration of textile shops, supermarkets, gift shops and other items.

    Not fewer than 50 shops and two residential buildings were completely burnt down in the early morning fire.

    The fire raged till about 5 am while most of the shops were still smouldering at about 7 am when reporters got to the scene.

    Men of the State Fire Service who got to the scene could not put out the fire.

    Many of the affected traders were inconsolable while their family members, friends and sympathisers wore gloomy faces as they bemoaned huge losses.

    Some traders fainted on seeing their shops reduced to ashes.

    Many Ado Ekiti indigenes saw the attack as a reprisal by Hausa settlers who were mostly affected by an attack carried out on Wednesday by suspected members of drivers’ union.

    Many residents who were on their ways to work had to return home as thick smoke billowed into the sky from the market, giving the impression that “the city was on fire.”

    Most of the schools were shut as students and pupils hurriedly returned home while residents who were yet to leave their homes did not bother to venture out.

    Banks, petrol stations, motor parks, corporate offices and other commercial centres closed their doors to business.

    Truck loads of mobile and regular policemen as well as soldiers were immediately drafted on the orders of the state government to prevent escalation of the crisis and prevent massive looting.

    A number of residents were also randomly arrested by men of the state police command in connection with the development.

    Governor Fayose, who personally led a security team that included the newly deployed Commissioner of Police, Mr. Etop James to the scene, expressed worries at the turn of event despite his imposition of dusk to dawn curfew only on Thursday.

    He said yesterday’s incident would not in any way compel him to declare a 24-hour curfew as being suggested in some quarters.

    Fayose, ordered that four ASHOK LEYLAND luxury buses belonging to government be immediately mobilised to convey all Hausa residents to Shasha, on the outskirts of Ikere Ekiti.

    The governor, who for more than three hours personally monitored the evacuation, premised his action on the fact that he is a father to all residents, irrespective of their tribe, religion or sex.

    He said the Hausa residents would remain at the new place for the time being, and would be heavily guarded by soldiers and mobile policemen.

    The Commissioner of Police said his men worked tirelessly from 1 am to prevent what could have degenerated into an uncontrollable situation.

    He hailed the governor for racing to the scene to team up with the police in checking the crisis from getting out of hands when he (Fayose) was called in the early hours of the day.

    Meanwhile, the main opposition party  in the  state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) , has said that Governor Fayose should be held responsible for the various acts of violence in the state, saying the current spread of violence in the state capital had the imprints of the usual government-orchestrated violent acts to achieve a pre-determined end.

    Reacting to  the recent violent acts rocking the state, APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, regretted that Ekiti people were used to the government-inspired violent acts, which they experienced between 2003 and 2006 during the governor’s first stint, hence there was little to worry about on the same pattern of serial violence that was rocking the state to achieve a purpose.

    He said: “We had on several occasions raised the alarm over importation of thugs who are quartered in the Government House. Since their arrival, Ekiti State has slid to the era of one day one trouble, which characterised Fayose’s government between 2003 and 2006.

    “Eminent lawyer, Femi Falana, also raised the same concern, calling on the governor to send away his thugs to allow peace to reign in Ekiti State”

    The party sympathised with Hausa traders, who it described as victims of government-inspired violence to create a sense of insecurity to enable the governor devise extra-security measures that would allow him achieve a predetermined end.

    The APC spokesman urged the security agencies to consider treating the party’s petitions on various acts of violence  by the thugs kept in the Government House and devise a means of ending violence in Ekiti State.

    ‘We recall various unprecedented attacks on our members, their houses, our office and tearing or burning  down of the posters and billboards of our candidates during electioneering campaigns over which we petitioned the National Human Rights Commission.

    ‘After the elections, kidnappings began. Now is the time for urban violence pitting the thugs against Hausa traders to create ethnic tension that has potential for national crisis while at the same time the governor is planning to inaugurate the new House of Assembly on June 1 to create anarchy.

    ‘It is regrettable that we are back to the era of one day, one trouble that marked out Fayose as a man that thrives in violence,” he said.

     

  • Hoodlums find goldmine on Lagos highway

    Hoodlums find goldmine on Lagos highway

    Dashing across the highway is outlawed in Lagos State to reduce  deaths. Some jobless hoodlums have, however, cashed in on the lawlessness of some residents to make quick money. Assistant Editor DADA ALADELOKUN reports

    Many would readily conclude that a hungry tiger was on the man’s trail for lunch. With the last breath in him, he dashed across the highway, in suicidal defiance of vehicles that “brook no nonsense.” It was at the Palmgrove-Onipanu axis of the ever-busy Lagos-Ikorodu Road.

    After sprinting through the generally acknowledged  death zone, the 61-year old simply identified as Ezekiel, heaved a sigh of relief. Yes, he considered himself lucky not to be counted among the pedestrians being weekly knocked down on the route.

    Unknown to Ezekiel, more tribulation awaited him when he thought he had survived the “valley of shadow of death.” Just by Palmgrove Bus Stop, some hoodlums – numbering about six – were anxiously waiting to do unlawful “business” with his indiscipline.

    Before one could say Jack, they formed a ring round him as venoms poured out of their mouths. “We are officials of Somolu Council; you are under arrest Mr Man for illegal crossing of the road,” flashing something that looked like an identity card, one of them threatened gutturally.

    The man in Ezekiel gave way as he suddenly developed cold feet. Then he stammered: “Plea…se, I … am, I am actually russs…shing to see a s…ick uncle at Ojjj..ota. Pleeeeea… se!

    Roadside traders around the scene were already on their feet, witnessing for the umpteenth time, the ugly drama with one wish: That Ezekiel should pluck up the courage to withstand the hoodlums’ extortionate antics.

    Realising that they were under watch, they dragged their prey (Ezekiel) behind a stationary bus where serious haggling began. “Listen, if we take you to Somolu Council, there is a court that will send you to jail and if we drive you to Alausa (state Secretariat) now, you will be sorry for yourself and nobody will be able to locate you. So, you have to bail yourself  now,” one of them said.

    Sensing he was in a mess, his eyeballs got instantly drenched with tears as he threw his scrawny frame on the service lane, sobbing. If he thought his actions would evoke sympathy in his captors, he was dead wrong.

    One of them leaned on him, searching his danshiki-and-trousers attire. At last, he was able to bring out N260 from the man’s pocket. “So this is all you have; agbalagba oloriburuku (an unfortunate old man). You better run; don’t give us bad luck,” he said.

    As if he just escapes from a  lions’ den, Ezekiel ran as fast as his legs could help him through the Somolu streets. Some neighbouring youths caught fun while many, mostly old ones had words of  sympathy for him.

    “This is the way they extort money from people here. They also operate at Obanikoro and Onipanu bus stops. They are not from any council,” one of the traders said angrily.

    Shortly afterwards, two young men suspected to be from the neighbourhood took a majestic walk towards the “council officials” from the Palmgrove area. With their stature, they rivalled the Floyd Mayweathers, Iron Mike Tysons and such other dreadfully sturdy pugilists.

    None of the six  could look them in the face twice. They all looked the other way as both had a peaceful cross and eventually boarded a Ketu-bound commuter bus. “Those are boys from the area. Who born these people to touch them; they wan die? They look at people’s faces before challenging or taking money from them,” a woman, Alhaja Taibat Lawal, told this reporter.

    “Even if you are a female person, if you can face them like a man, nothing will happen but if you allow them to bully you into submission, they will collect your money; it could be N1,000 or N2,000. It could be as low as N100; they will take it and the next moment, they are elsewhere – Onipanu or Obanikoro. They have been operating here for long,” she further hinted.

    Bridge 3Various other daily observers of the drama agreed that it could save the lives of pedestrians by discouraging them from taking the risk involved in non-use of the pedestrian bridges. However, they frowned at the repulsive way the  hoodlums have cashed in on people’s lawlessness to give them inhuman treatments before ultimately extorting money from them. Amid pains, not a few recounted their ordeals.

    At the council last Thursday, a source told The Nation: “Arresting those who dash across the highway did not just start yesterday; it began as far back as 2003 when an average of two persons was being knocked down by fast-moving vehicles between Obanikoro and Fadeyi. It is simply to save lives. It is the council that has been saddled with the rigours of evacuating the dead bodies. That was why a  court was set up inside the secretariat to try offenders who are usually fined even as  low as N500 till date.

    “However, the council did not involve hoodlums as being alleged in some quarters. Basically, we involve officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) set up by the state. The council will never work outside the ambit of the law of the land.”

    Last Friday, the men were on “duty” as usual. “When will this end?” The reporter wondered aloud. One of the worried observers around gave a strange clue: “It may never end as long as joblessness exists alongside indiscipline in the land. It happens all over the state.” There won’t be exploiters if there are no exploitable ones, he added.

  • Panic as motorcyclists, hoodlums clash

    Panic as motorcyclists, hoodlums clash

    Ejigbo, the oil depot town in Lagos, and environs were a no-go area yesterday as hoodlums and commercial motorcyclists/triyclists clashed.

    Guns, machetes, bottles, disused tyres and sticks were used in the free-for-all.

    Now fewer than 16 people have been injured and properties worth millions of naira destroyed in the fight which started in Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos last Saturday and spread to Ejigbo, Canoe and Ajao Estate.

    Although the fight was said to be between motorcyclists/tricyclists and area boys over the latter’s alleged extortion of the former, members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) were said to have joined in the fight yesterday when one of them was attacked after a hoodlum was chased into their premises.

    Eyewitnesses said trouble started when a hoodlum attacked a motorcyclist for refusing to pay more than the N500 daily ticketing fee.

    Following last Saturday’s scuffle, it was gathered that the police intervened and directed the hoodlums to stop extorting money from the motor cyclists/tricyclists, who usually part with N2, 000 daily.

    But yesterday, hoodlums around filling station were said to have beat up and impounded the motorcycle of a rider who insisted on paying the stipulated N500 fee.

    A hoodlum, who gave his name simply as Sunday, said: “But the okada rider refused and showed the man his ticket. The area boy was so furious that he started boxing the rider.

    “It was around 8am. As they were fighting, more bike riders parked to defend their own. When the hoodlum saw that he had been overpowered, he started running, but the angry mob pursued him.

    “They were shouting Ole! Ole … and pursuing him as he ran towards the NNPC depot in Ejigbo. Before we knew what was happening, bottles started flying everywhere.

    “So many men with guns, cutlasses, planks, fuel and lighter started beating people. They attacked every okada and keke rider on the road. They freely used bottles and knives on them, while they burnt their cycles.

    “It was the agberos (touts) that even destroyed peoples’ shops too and burnt down the kiosks of ordinary citizens who had no business in their fight.”

    Scores of motor cyclists/triyclists, who got wind of the incident,  were said to have stormed the NNPC depot.

    The motorists were said to have wounded some of the area boys and NUPENG members at the depot.

    It was gathered that police in Ajao Estate contained the crisis, but their counterparts in Ejigbo were reportedly overpowered by hoodlums. Their guns and tear gas canisters were allegedly seized.

    The remains of burnt motorcycles, tricycles shattered bottles and glasses littered the scene.

    It took about seven police patrol vans with no fewer than 50 armed personnel.

    Victims of circumstance

    He cut a pitiable sight as he lay on the floor groaning. Drenched in blood with wounds all over his body, Monday Silas, a commercial motorcyclists muttered to himself, with tears running down his cheeks.

    As he used his Tee-shirt to drive away flies, all Silas could say was “God why me? Why me?”

    Silas had run into the hoodlums and commercial motor cyclists/triyclists clash at Ejigbo.

    Silas, who was coming from nearby Ikotun where he picked up a passenger going to Ejigbo, said he was robbed.

    “I don’t know what I did. I don’t even know what was going on. I don’t know the people who attacked me, but they almost killed me. They burnt my bike, used cutlasses and bottles on me. I don’t even know how I got to this place. That is all I can tell you,” he said.

    When this reporter tried to find out why he was not taken to hospital, some hoodlums said they did not care if he died.

    They said they would not take him to hospital because he is a motorcyclist, adding that his colleagues injured about six of their men.

    It took the intervention of one of their leaders before the mob allowed one of the men who escorted this reporter to the scene to take Silas away.

    Sympathisers offered him water and milk; a police patrol stopped and rushed him to Isolo General Hospital, where this reporter deposited N4, 000 for his treatment.

    There were others like him at the hospital.

    A young man, who shared the same room with Silas said some motorcyclists broke his head.

    “The worst part is that I was just going to work when they attacked me. It was the motorbike riders that beat me to a pulp. They were just cutting my head with cutlass and bottles. My whole head has been stitched and bandaged,” he told one of his visitors.

    Others with injuries were on drips in the adjoining wards.

    NUPENG denies involvement

    Meawhile, officials of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) unit of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) at Ejigbo have debunked claims that they took part in the duel. They said they only intervened to safeguard national assets.

    The chapter’s Secretary, Onifade Adesina, said their men stopped the motorcyclists from invading the NNPC depot.

    He confirmed that some of his men were injured and rushed to the hospital, adding that the association only chased the cyclists out to prevent lawlessness at the depot.

     

  • Task force arrests 22 hoodlums in Ilorin

    The Kwara State Anti-Thuggery Task Force yesterday said it has arrested 22 suspected hoodlums at various locations in Adeta and Pakata areas of Ilorin, the state capital.

    Alhaji Suleiman Abdulsalam, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security and Intelligence, spoke in Ilorin an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    He said some of the suspects were arrested at a shrine in Adeta in Ilorin, adding that some weapons and charms stained with fresh blood were recovered from them.

    Abdulsalam told NAN that a joint operation, comprising the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), vigilance groups and the police, tagged: Operation Harmony, last Friday, also arrested 32 people at an Indian hemp joint in the outskirt of Ilorin.

    According to him, all the suspects are being detained and interrogated by security agents.

    Abdulsalam urged the residents to be security-conscious and always give useful information on suspected criminals to security agencies.

    NAN reports that the task force was constituted by the state government to curb post-election violence, which led the destruction of valuable property, such as buildings and vehicles worth millions of naira.

     

  • Hoodlums beat up workers at Ibadan firm

    Hoodlums beat up workers at Ibadan firm

    There is tension at the Ring Road headquarters of the Ibadan Local Government Properties Company Limited, Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday, as hoodlums stormed the compound and beat up some workers.

    The company manages property owned by the 11 local governments in Ibadan,  including estates (Mapo Hall) and monuments.

    An eyewitness said eight hoodlums invaded the office complex at noon and ordered workers out of their offices,  beating up those that resisted.

    Five workers were reportedly assaulted, among them the Company Secretary, Adebowale Abdulazeez.

    The eyewitness told The Nation that the hoodlums slapped Adebowale when he inquired the reason they were being asked to leave.

    According to him, the hoodlums, after “descending on” some senior managers, asked for the general manager.

    But some workers prevented them from entering the general manager’s office.

    The General Manager, Surajudeem Babalola,  escaped and reported the attack to the police.

    But before policemen arrived at the scene, the hoodlums fled.

    At the office complex yesterday, workers were still in shock.

    Babalola said the company had never been attacked.

    But a source said the recent transfer by the company might be responsible for the attack.

    Babalola called on the police to investigate the attack and arrest the culprits.

     

  • Save us from hoodlums, auto technicians tell govt

    Save us from hoodlums, auto technicians tell govt

    Auto technicians in Lagos have appealed to the state government to save them from the hands of hoodlums.

    They alleged that the hoodlums always entered their premises to harras and extort them.

    The technicians, under the aegis of Motor Mechanics and Technicians Association of Nigerian (MOMTAN), are seeking the intervention of Commissioner for Transport Kayode Opeifa to the incessant attacks.

    At a briefing in their Alausa, Ikeja secretariat, their chairman, Alhaji Morufdeen Arowolo, said the hoodlums always carted away valuables whenever they came.

    He said: “As soon as some of our members close for the day and leave for their homes, hoodlums from God knows where will hijack the premises. Some of our members who were still around were constantly intimidated by these hoodlums. They do all sorts of atrocities. They have made our premises their hideouts scaring our members away.

    “Whenever our members try to challenge them, it resulted in fracas and we know these hoodlums can overpower our men because some of them are armed. We call on government to extend its arm of security to our members. This situation is becoming very embarrassing and we want government to intervene on our behalf.”

    MOMTAN Alausa branch chairman Morufdeen Oyebade called for deployment of security personnel to stop the attacks.

  • 24 ‘hoodlums’ arrested

    24 ‘hoodlums’ arrested

    Twenty four suspected hoodlums were arrested by the security operatives in Oyo State during the presidential and National Assembly elections.

    The Commissioner of Police, Muhammadu Katsina, said this while parading them yesterday at the command headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan.

    The suspects, according to the police boss, included members of a cult group, One Million Boys, in Mapo .

    They were arrested during the polls with weapons as they assaulted and injured some people, some of who are on admission in some hospitals.

    The CP said the pandemonium attracted the attention of the police Special Force, which engaged the hoodlums in a gun battle.

    Sixteen members of the gang were arrested and some  weapons recovered.

    The suspects include Patrick John, Olunloyo Ibrahim, Oluwafemi Adele, Adikpe Joseph, Olamide Abidemi, Ahmed Mukaila, Ramoni Saka, Ojo Adewale, Rasheed Afeez, Adeleke Shola, Adeleke Ibrahim, Adeleke Tunde, Adedapo Nurudeen, Dele Abu, Monsuru Olalekan and Akeem Monsuru.

    The commissioner of police said the command’s pre-election efforts also led to the arrest of eight robbery suspects.

    The suspects had allegedly snatched a Toyota Camry from Madam Oluwafolakemi Fabodede in Akure, Ondo State.

    The ‘robbers’ thereafter proceeded to Oyo State and attacked Joba Pharmacy and a filling station at Iroko on Oyo-Ibadan Road.

    They were accosted by the Police Ambush Squad, which overpowered and arrested them.

    Investigations revealed that the leaders of the gang- Boluwaji Olawumi, John Isaac and Fagboyegun Wale- were among those who escaped in the Ekiti jailbreak last November 30.

    They were reportedly awaiting trial for robbery and murder.

    One AK47 rifle snatched from a policeman with other weapons were recovered from the gangsters.

    The weapons comprised 10 dane guns, one pump action, one cut-to-size, three single barrel guns as well as cartridges.