Dare Babalola
The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested a group of armed suspects allegedly connected to a serving member of the House of Representatives over a plot to disrupt the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Falade Adegoroye Michael, disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing, saying the suspects were apprehended following credible intelligence on their movement into the state.
According to him, the suspects, described as armed hoodlums in possession of dangerous weapons, were arrested at about 9:00pm on Thursday at Onikoyi Hotel in Ikun-Ekiti. He explained that operatives moved in after receiving intelligence about their arrival and activities in the area.
The arrested suspects were identified as Adekunle Stephen, Boluwaji Ishola, Adepoju Adebayo, Oluwatobi Adeoluwa, Akintunde Emmanuel, Ibitola Babatope, and Adewale Makanjuola, while others reportedly fled the scene using three vehicles.
CP Falade said preliminary findings indicated that the suspects confessed to being political thugs allegedly hired by a serving federal lawmaker to disrupt the APC primary election initially scheduled for 15 May 2026 in the state.
He further stated that items recovered from them included a Beretta pistol, two pump-action guns, nine rounds of 9mm ammunition, four live cartridges, substances suspected to be charms, two Apple laptops, and a Honda Accord vehicle.
Falade added that the suspects would be charged to court, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend fleeing gang members and their alleged sponsor.
Meanwhile, the APC primary election, earlier slated for Friday, 15 May 2026, was subsequently shifted to Saturday, 16 May 2026.
