By Dare Akogun
The Nigerian Police Force, Kwara State Command, has officially confirmed the release of the kidnapped Wife of the Olukoro of Koro in Ekiti LGA of Kwara State. Late Oba Olusegun Aremu-Cole, gruesomely murdered in his palace on 1st February 2024 by the abductors of the queen.
According to Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Ejire-Adeyemi Toun, the queen and one other person were released in the late hours on Monday.
According to her, “In the course of investigation, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun approved the deployment of a police chopper for aerial surveillance to help comb the forest/boundary between Kwara and Ekiti state.
“A joint operation comprising the police, military, DSS vigilante, and hunters who tirelessly combed the forest yielded positive results.
“This operation led to the successful rescue of the wife to the late monarch and one other at about 22:30 hours of 05/02/24. The rescued kidnap victims have been reunited with their families, hale and hearty.
“The operation also led to the arrest of 13 male suspects who are presently in custody undergoing rigorous interrogation with a view towards aiding the arrest of members of the gang at large”, she added.
Reports indicate that one Pa Olowofela, a leader of the kidnap syndicate terrorizing Ekiti, Kogi, and Kwara states, was among the arrested suspects.
Pa Olowofela’s arrest follows the arrest of one Baboga Alhaji, suspected of being involved in the killing of two Ekiti traditional rulers recently.
Further investigations revealed that Olowofela and his gang were responsible for the recent killings of Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsakin, Olumojo of Imojo Ekiti, Oba Samuel Olatunde Olusola, and Olukoro of Ikoro, Kwara State, Oba Olusegun Aremu-Cole.
Olowofela, an octogenarian, is based in Igbara Odo, Ekiti State, with a chain of business enterprises across the state, including a sawmill in Irele, where the nefarious activities of the abductors are most pronounced.
His arrest was made possible by a combined team of security apparatus from Kwara State, who stormed Ijowa Ekiti, in Ajoni Local Council Development Area (LCDA) this morning, and dispatched a team to effect his arrest from his Igbara Odo abode.
