Stories by Ahmed Ajikobi
An artisan, Olaitan David escaped death by whiskers when he was attacked by hoodlums at Sango area, Ilorin, Kwara State recently.
Pilot Crime gathered that David was inflicted with injury by his assailants numbering about 25, with cutlass, stones , sticks and other dangerous weapons during the attack.
According to a police source, victim of the attack was lured to the hoodlums’ hideout where the hoodlums physically assaulted him.
“David, who has a shop around the MOPOL barracks in Sango area, was eating when he was approached by one of the hoodlums, Jimoh popularly known as Alubarika, who invited him over to their hideout on the pretext of patronising him.
“On getting there, he came face to face with 25 men armed with various dangerous weapons. Isiaka, the ring leader ordered his boys to beat up their victim,” he added.
The artisan was said to have been abandoned in the pool of his blood following matchete cuts sustained and consequently rushed to hospital by passers-by.
It was further gathered that the victim was dispossessed of his mobile phone valued at N15,000 and the sum of N28,800.
However, luck ran out on four of the hoodlums as they were arrested by residents of Oke Andi area of Sango.
The hoodlums namely Jimoh, Adewuyi Ridwan, Adeoti Tobi and Abdulganiyu Aweda were nabbed in their hideout while others escaped.
They were said to have resisted arrest by the residents, who invaded their den in the area, as they launched counter attack, but were overpowered.
A resident of the area who craved anonymity for security reasons, told this medium that there was pandemonium in the area for about one hour while the brawl lasted.
The suspects were reportedly handed over to the police at ‘A’ Division of the state command, where they are being interrogated.
“During the investigation, the suspects confessed to the crime and also revealed the identities of some of their gang member as Segun a.k.a Akara, Afobaje Junior, Sekoni known as High Level and Karaole.
“Investigation also revealed that the suspects and their members who are at large are notorious criminals, India hemp smokers, who attack innocent citizens by dispossessing them of their cash and phones at gun point,” the police source added.
Efforts to get the state Police spokesman, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi on the issue proved abortive as calls and to his mobile phones did not connect.
