By MOROMOKE AKANJI

The Police Command in Osun has arrested four suspects in connection with the killing of two civilians and the injury of two policemen during an attack in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area of the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Zungura, disclosed this while addressing a news conference on Thursday in Osogbo.

Zungura said the suspects were arrested on Wednesday following credible intelligence and painstaking technical analysis of information gathered in connection with the incident.

He identified the suspects as Sikiru Ademola Adedeji, 21; Olalere Taiwo, 21; Olalere Ademola, 26; and Bankole Abiodun, 20.

He said one cutlass-like object was recovered from the suspects.

The commissioner said that during preliminary interrogation, the suspects confessed to being political thugs, adding that their faction was allegedly headed by one Ayewo, whose other details remained unknown.

According to him, the suspects also confessed that Ayewo was the person who fired the AK-47 rifle snatched from a police officer, with the bullets hitting the two victims.

Zungura said efforts were ongoing to arrest Ayewo and other suspects still at large.

He commended the operatives involved in the investigation for their professionalism, dedication and effective utilisation of intelligence and technical capabilities in tracking down the suspects.

The commissioner assured members of the public that the investigation was ongoing and that anyone found to have participated in or contributed to the offence would face the full weight of the law.

He appealed to members of the public to continue providing the police with credible and timely information that could assist in preventing crime and apprehending criminal elements.

Zungura said the command remained resolute in its commitment to protecting lives and property and maintaining peace and security across the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Police Command had on Tuesday said two civilians were killed while two of its officers sustained serious injuries during an attack by suspected political thugs in Ikire.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, said unidentified assailants, suspected to be political thugs, attacked a police patrol team attached to the Ikire Division at about 11 a.m. on Monday along the Ife-Ibadan Expressway.

He said the patrol team, accompanied by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ikire Division, was responding to a distress call over the alleged abduction of one Sunkanmi, whose surname was unknown.

According to him, upon arrival at the location, the officers came under a sudden and unprovoked attack by a group of unidentified hoodlums.

He said the assailants opened fire on the officers while they were inside their operational vehicle and succeeded in snatching an AK-47 service rifle.

“The hoodlums used the stolen weapon to fire indiscriminately, resulting in the tragic loss of two innocent civilians,” he said. (NAN)